Buildings

45 pages, 5058 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Pullout Performance and Failure Mechanism of the UHPC-Grouted Helical Anchor Rod-Prefabricated Cap Connection Joint

by Yunsheng Xu, Guangyu An, Zijun Chen and Zhongfan Chen

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3675; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183675 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

During the construction process of prefabricated helical anchor foundations, eccentricity and inclined installation of anchor rods may alter the stress distribution and interfacial load-transfer mechanism within the UHPC grouting connection zone, resulting in the inability of performance evaluation methods established under ideal installation [...] Read more.

During the construction process of prefabricated helical anchor foundations, eccentricity and inclined installation of anchor rods may alter the stress distribution and interfacial load-transfer mechanism within the UHPC grouting connection zone, resulting in the inability of performance evaluation methods established under ideal installation conditions to fully capture the joint response under actual construction scenarios. In this study, five full-scale pullout tests and three-dimensional nonlinear finite element analyses were conducted to investigate the load-transfer behavior, damage evolution process, and failure modes of UHPC-grouted helical anchor-prefabricated cap connection joints subjected to construction deviations. The results demonstrate that eccentricity primarily induces local stress redistribution and has a limited influence on the bearing capacity, whereas inclination introduces additional bending moments that accelerate the initiation of interfacial damage. With the incorporation of shear keys, the damage-control load under non-eccentric conditions increased from 429 kN to 800 kN, representing an enhancement of approximately 86.5%. Based on the experimental and analytical results, a pullout performance evaluation method considering interfacial load-transfer characteristics and the influence of construction deviations was proposed. The maximum error was 7.5% under the single eccentricity condition and 18.0% under the combined eccentricity-inclination condition. The findings provide valuable references for the design optimization and performance evaluation of prefabricated helical anchor foundation connection joints under non-ideal construction conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

23 pages, 1532 KB

Open AccessArticle

Early-Age Cracking Behavior and Prevention Strategies of Hydraulic Tunnel Lining Concrete Under Varying Curing Regimes

by Wu Zhang, Zhenrui Yan, Qigong Yang, Haoyu Wang and Ping Mu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3674; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183674 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Early-age cracking of tunnel lining concrete under adverse curing threatens long-term durability. This study integrates material-scale testing, structural-scale testing, and multiscale simulation to investigate cracking behavior and prevention strategies. Material-scale experiments on self-compacting concrete (SCC) under three curing regimes and four demolding times [...] Read more.

Early-age cracking of tunnel lining concrete under adverse curing threatens long-term durability. This study integrates material-scale testing, structural-scale testing, and multiscale simulation to investigate cracking behavior and prevention strategies. Material-scale experiments on self-compacting concrete (SCC) under three curing regimes and four demolding times (1–7 d) revealed that extending demolding time mitigated strength loss, with 28 d strength increasing by up to 22.3% under low-temperature curing. The DuCOM model predicted strength evolution with an average 28 d error of 2.5%. Structural-scale tests under laboratory ambient exposure (S1) and moisture-retaining curing (S2) showed that S1 specimens cracked at ~8 d when the stress-to-strength ratio exceeded 1.0, whereas S2 specimens remained crack-free. The coupled DuCOM–COM3D framework captured internal stress evolution with peak stress errors within 1.77% (S1) and 8.74% (S2). Based on the stress-to-strength ratio criterion as a preliminary indicator, three prevention measures are proposed: extending demolding time, immediate moisture-retaining curing, and real-time early warning. This quantitative framework provides a preliminary basis for early-age cracking risk assessment in the present experimental configuration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation)

24 pages, 3046 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Impact Dynamics and Fracture Morphology of Cement-Improved Aeolian Sand Under Freeze–Thaw Cycles

by Xunchang Li, Kexin Ren, Yuang Qi and Xuqing Pang

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3673; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183673 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Cement-improved aeolian sand is a potentially sustainable geomaterial that has been used in engineering applications such as subgrade filling and slope stabilization in cold regions. To investigate the degradation patterns of the dynamic mechanical properties of improved aeolian sand following freeze–thaw cycles, this [...] Read more.

Cement-improved aeolian sand is a potentially sustainable geomaterial that has been used in engineering applications such as subgrade filling and slope stabilization in cold regions. To investigate the degradation patterns of the dynamic mechanical properties of improved aeolian sand following freeze–thaw cycles, this study conducted the Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) test on cement-improved aeolian sand under different freeze–thaw cycle numbers and cement content, revealing its dynamic mechanical characteristics, energy dissipation patterns, and failure mechanisms. The results indicate that, as the number of freeze–thaw cycles increased, internal microcracks progressively develop and propagate, and the dynamic mechanical properties of the modified soil gradually deteriorate. This is manifested by a gradual decrease in the dynamic peak stress, a decline in the dissipated energy density, and an upward trend in the fractal dimension of the fragment mass. Compared to the deterioration observed during the first ten freeze–thaw cycles, the magnitude of the changes in dynamic mechanical parameters decreased, indicating a gradual reduction in the overall rate of deterioration. The addition of cement enhances the frost resistance of the modified soil; however, an excessively high cement content shifted the failure mode toward brittle fracture. and the fractal dimension exhibits a decreasing trend. The conclusions of this study offer a theoretical framework for catastrophe mitigation in cement-improved aeolian sand, including freeze–thaw and dynamic loading. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation)

18 pages, 3038 KB

Open AccessArticle

Depth-Dependent Load-Transfer Variability in Three Ultralong Bored Piles: Evidence from Full-Scale Load Tests

by Jiang Han, Weiming Gong, Guoliang Dai and Feng Xu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3672; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183672 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Ultralong postgrouted bored piles constructed with the same design configuration may exhibit different internal load-transfer behaviour that is not fully reflected by pile-head load–settlement curves. This study reanalysed full-scale maintained-load tests on three 108.9-m-long bored piles using vibrating-wire gauges, distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS), [...] Read more.

Ultralong postgrouted bored piles constructed with the same design configuration may exhibit different internal load-transfer behaviour that is not fully reflected by pile-head load–settlement curves. This study reanalysed full-scale maintained-load tests on three 108.9-m-long bored piles using vibrating-wire gauges, distributed fibre-optic sensing (DFOS), and settlement-rod measurements. Inter-pile variability was evaluated by directly comparing SYZ2 and SYZ3 under first formal loading, while the first loading and reloading of SYZ1 were analysed separately to assess loading-history effects. At 30 MN, SYZ3 showed shallower axial-load transfer than SYZ2, with the z₇₅, z₅₀, and z₂₅ elevations 8.80–10.81 m shallower and less axial force remaining at the prescribed shaft-grouting elevation. SYZ1 exhibited a marked reduction in pile-head settlement during reloading, while the depthwise shaft-resistance pattern remained broadly similar. These results show that similar pile-head responses do not necessarily indicate similar internal load-transfer states. Continuous internal monitoring therefore provides important complementary information for evaluating load-transfer variability and the depthwise response of postgrouted ultralong bored piles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

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21 pages, 2719 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Projected Climate Change on the Thermal Performance and Comfort of Residential Buildings in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Dynamic Simulation to 2070 and the Effectiveness of Envelope Improvement

by Mohammad G. Kotbi, Saleh A. Alsuhaibani and Ahmad G. Kotbi

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3671; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183671 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

The building sector is both a major contributor to climate change and one of the most exposed to its impacts, and dwellings designed today will operate under mid-century climates. This study quantifies the projected impact of climate change on the climate of Riyadh, [...] Read more.

The building sector is both a major contributor to climate change and one of the most exposed to its impacts, and dwellings designed today will operate under mid-century climates. This study quantifies the projected impact of climate change on the climate of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and on the thermal performance and comfort of a government-approved residential villa archetype, and tests envelope improvement as an adaptation measure. Future hourly weather files for 2061–2080 were generated from a baseline IWEC typical meteorological year by morphing with change factors from the CMIP5 ensemble (IPCC Fifth Assessment Report) under RCP 4.5, at the 10th, 50th, and 90th percentiles of the ensemble warming distribution. Relative to the baseline, summer means rise by 2.1–4.1 °C across this range, days with maxima of 45 °C or more increase from 5 to 40–74, tropical nights above 30 °C from 25 to 72–124, and cooling degree-days by 17–35%. Under the warm-end (90th percentile) file used for the IES Virtual Environment building simulations, living-room PPD rises from about 11% to 13% with wider cooling peaks, and raising wall and roof insulation to ASHRAE 90.1-2019 levels cuts envelope conduction gains by about 6% and energy use intensity from 128.42 to 123.45 kWh/m²·year (−3.9%). The findings support tightening envelope requirements in the Saudi Building Code and integrating future weather files into design practice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)

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26 pages, 3438 KB

Open AccessArticle

Library-Interior Colour Analysis Based on Multimodal-LLM Records: Weighted Circular Clustering, Perceptual Modelling, and a Proposed Decision-Support Workflow

by Shiru Zhao and Xiaofei Zhou

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3670; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183670 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Architectural colour in public libraries significantly influences indoor atmospheric quality and occupant emotional well-being, yet palette selection in design practice remains predominantly reliant on subjective intuition, precedents, and vendor catalogues. This study develops a computational framework that links multimodal image colour extraction, circular [...] Read more.

Architectural colour in public libraries significantly influences indoor atmospheric quality and occupant emotional well-being, yet palette selection in design practice remains predominantly reliant on subjective intuition, precedents, and vendor catalogues. This study develops a computational framework that links multimodal image colour extraction, circular clustering, human perceptual evaluation, and multi-criteria decision weighting into a structured analysis pipeline. Using a corpus of 500 curated library interior images across diverse geographic regions, a multimodal large language model extracted dominant architectural colour records and visual weights, which were deterministically converted to HSV space and clustered using weighted circular k-means. A semantic differential experiment involving fifty design students across five bipolar scales provided empirical perceptual ratings, evaluated through repeated nested ten-fold cross-validation across five machine learning algorithms. The analysis identified five recurrent colour paradigms, demonstrating that spatial hue distributions form distinct chromatic clusters across modern library architecture. Perceptual models revealed that average colour features reliably predict perceived warmth and quietness, whereas modernity and naturalness depend more heavily on non-chromatic spatial cues. By integrating these predictive models with analytic hierarchy process and Delphi expert weights, the framework establishes a transparent decision-support protocol for early schematic design. This allows architects and clients to quantitatively compare alternative colour schemes against functional zoning requirements, providing an objective, accountable foundation for evidence-based interior design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Innovative Approaches in Urban Science and Architectural Research Using Artificial Intelligence)

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24 pages, 8479 KB

Open AccessArticle

Cooling Performance of Landscape Element Combinations: A Multi-Dimensional Outdoor Thermal Comfort Assessment in Urban Parks of Zhengzhou, China

by Xi Zhang, Mohd Fairuz Shahidan, Sreetheran Maruthaveeran and Xiongjiangna Xu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3669; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183669 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Urban parks have been widely recognized for their cooling potential; however, the regulatory effects of landscape element combinations on outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in urban parks remain insufficiently quantified from a systematic, multi-dimensional perspective. Focusing on three representative urban parks in Zhengzhou, China, [...] Read more.

Urban parks have been widely recognized for their cooling potential; however, the regulatory effects of landscape element combinations on outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) in urban parks remain insufficiently quantified from a systematic, multi-dimensional perspective. Focusing on three representative urban parks in Zhengzhou, China, this study combines microclimate field measurements and questionnaire surveys conducted during the summer midday period to assess the regulatory effects of ten landscape element combinations on OTC across the physical, physiological, and psychological dimensions. Under summer midday conditions, OTC differences related to shading condition were generally more pronounced than those related to ground surface type or proximity to water bodies, with consistent trends across all three dimensions. Across comparable grass-covered and stone-paved combinations without adjacent water bodies, physiological equivalent temperature (PET) was 14.9–25.8 °C lower under dense tree shade and 11.9–23.9 °C lower under sparse tree shade than under unshaded conditions. This study further provides indicative estimates of summer midday thermal comfort reference thresholds for urban parks in Zhengzhou based on PET, including an extrapolated neutral PET reference value of 20.3 °C, a neutral PET range of 13.6–27.0 °C, and a thermal acceptability range of 15.4–36.2 °C. The multi-dimensional assessment advances understanding of the effects of different landscape element combinations on OTC and provides a transferable analytical approach for context-specific OTC research across different regions and urban park types. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Renewal Design and Challenge of Urban and Rural Livable Environments in the Age of Population Shrinkage)

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25 pages, 20185 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of End-Plate Thickness on the Seismic Performance of K-Shaped Eccentrically Braced Frames with End-Plate Connections

by Yifei Chen, Zhiwei Zhang, Gaofei Huang, Zhanjing Wu, Jia Fan, Xinwu Wang and Xin Bu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3668; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183668 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

To investigate the effects of end-plate thickness on the seismic performance and damage evolution of K-shaped eccentrically braced frames with end-plate connections (EPEBFs), two scaled specimens with different end-plate thicknesses were tested under low-cycle reversed loading. The influence of end-plate thickness on mechanical [...] Read more.

To investigate the effects of end-plate thickness on the seismic performance and damage evolution of K-shaped eccentrically braced frames with end-plate connections (EPEBFs), two scaled specimens with different end-plate thicknesses were tested under low-cycle reversed loading. The influence of end-plate thickness on mechanical behavior and seismic response was evaluated from failure modes, hysteretic response, skeleton curves, ductility, energy dissipation, and stiffness degradation, together with damage assessment using different models. Refined finite element models were then established for parametric analysis. The results show that EPEBFs exhibit a well-defined plastic development path. Damage in the reference specimen was mainly concentrated in the link and its end-plate connection region, thereby protecting the frame columns, beams, and braces. For the two thicknesses tested, the specimen with thicker end plates showed higher lateral resistance, greater ultimate deformation capacity, and better late-stage resistance retention, but lower displacement ductility, indicating enhanced absolute deformation capacity but reduced post-yield deformation reserve. Thicker end plates also altered stress transfer and plastic development in the connection regions, causing damage to extend toward the frame-beam ends. Among the damage models considered, the elastic–plastic energy dissipation ratio model better captured the accumulation of energy dissipation and plastic deformation. The finite element results agreed well with the tests. Within the investigated range, increasing end-plate thickness mainly improved ultimate deformation capacity and late-stage resistance retention, without a clear monotonic effect on lateral resistance. The findings provide a basis for prefabricated design, damage control, and post-earthquake replacement and repair of EPEBFs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

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25 pages, 2104 KB

Open AccessArticle

Screening Municipal Building Permissions for Sustainable Urban Renewal: An Interpretable Machine Learning Approach with Temporal Validation

by Caroll Francesconi, Reinaldo Valdebenito, Carlos Aguirre and Eric Forcael

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3667; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183667 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Despite the importance of adaptive reuse for urban renewal, municipal records of changes in property destinations remain an untapped resource for understanding regulatory barriers. This study develops an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework to screen historical administrative non-approval using 42,350 municipal records from [...] Read more.

Despite the importance of adaptive reuse for urban renewal, municipal records of changes in property destinations remain an untapped resource for understanding regulatory barriers. This study develops an interpretable machine learning (ML) framework to screen historical administrative non-approval using 42,350 municipal records from a mid-sized city in southern Chile spanning 2010 to 2025. Historical memory features were constructed exclusively from outcomes available before each application, thereby preventing temporal leakage. Records from 2010–2022 were used for training, 2023 was reserved for validation, and 2024–2025 constituted a locked test set. A logistic regression model combining auditable risk flags derived from GIRO (declared economic or functional activity) with historical property, address, and activity category information was selected by maximizing the F1-score (the harmonic mean of precision and recall) subject to a recall ≥ 0.85. At the validation-selected threshold of 0.285, the model achieved a receiver operating characteristic area under the curve (ROC-AUC) of 0.778, a precision–recall area under the curve (PR-AUC) of 0.720, an F1-score of 0.719, recall of 0.887, and precision of 0.604. The model flagged 66.8% of applications for prioritized review. The proposed framework supports human-in-the-loop screening and institutional learning; it neither determines regulatory compliance nor automates municipal decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Data-Driven Intelligence for Sustainable Urban Renewal)

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15 pages, 450 KB

Open AccessArticle

by Jingjing Fan, Yunan Zhang, Yanxiao Liu and Shengxi Cao

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3666; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183666 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

This methodological diagnostic tests whether broad building descriptors support retrofit-class shortlists beyond popularity. We mapped 2623 New York City Local Law 87 audit rows to six classes with five decision states, trained on 2019–2022, validated on 2023, and tested on unseen 2024 property [...] Read more.

This methodological diagnostic tests whether broad building descriptors support retrofit-class shortlists beyond popularity. We mapped 2623 New York City Local Law 87 audit rows to six classes with five decision states, trained on 2019–2022, validated on 2023, and tested on unseen 2024 property groups. Under natural recorded-label visibility, state-aware and equal-information global policies both achieved an observed-positive Recall@3 of 0.832. The state model returned the same Top-3 set for 99.7% of test rows; all evaluated natural-condition neural models missed every recorded insulation and window-upgrade positive. Light-emitting diode (LED) lighting and heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) controls comprised 277 of 394 test positives, explaining why high recall did not demonstrate personalization. In a secondary synthetic 10% visibility stress test, excluding unlabelled entries from negative supervision improved recall over naive binary cross-entropy by 0.279; the natural state–naive difference was 0.002 (95% confidence interval (CI) [−0.007, 0.012]). Post hoc capacity, ontology, status-precedence, and stopping sensitivities did not establish reliable superiority over popularity. The benchmark diagnoses label misspecification and nearly constant shortlists. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)

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33 pages, 2882 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Indoor Biophilic Design for Higher Education Environments: A Systematic Mixed-Methods Review

by Yuxuan Niu and Hang Ma

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3665; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183665 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Indoor biophilic design may support student well-being and learning, yet evidence relevant to higher education interior environments has not undergone systematic synthesis with formal quality appraisal. This systematic mixed-methods review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 and [...] Read more.

Indoor biophilic design may support student well-being and learning, yet evidence relevant to higher education interior environments has not undergone systematic synthesis with formal quality appraisal. This systematic mixed-methods review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 and searched Scopus and the Web of Science Core Collection. We screened 1601 unique database records and 59 supplementary records and included 63 empirical studies. We appraised study quality using Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) 2018 and integrated findings through a convergent integrated approach. The evidence base was recent but uneven, with interior design elements forming the largest category; ambient conditions were largely decontextualized, and spatial attributes were dominated by window views. Perceptual outcomes were assessed most often and had the highest positive rate. Physiological and cognitive findings were less consistently positive, while cognition contained the most negative findings. Most studies adopted a restorative paradigm, whereas a protective paradigm appeared in 25% of studies but in two-thirds of those assessing cognition. Current evidence supports cautious use of indoor plants, green walls, and window views of nature in classrooms for perceptual and short-term affective benefits. It does not yet support transferable claims about sustained cognition, non-classroom settings, ambient conditions, or spatial attributes beyond window views. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Architectural Design, Urban Science, and Real Estate)

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26 pages, 8734 KB

Open AccessArticle

War-Damaged Built Heritage Since 1945: Multilevel Damage Profiles, Structured Recovery Contrasts and a Provisional Conservation Triage Framework

by Sun Yanhu and Nuriah Abd Majid

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3664; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183664 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Armed conflict affects built heritage through immediate damaging actions and subsequent deterioration, but these processes must be distinguished from damage manifestations and affected components. This study compares 25 documented asset-damage records from a source-bounded purposive frame of 30 candidates across 11 countries or [...] Read more.

Armed conflict affects built heritage through immediate damaging actions and subsequent deterioration, but these processes must be distinguished from damage manifestations and affected components. This study compares 25 documented asset-damage records from a source-bounded purposive frame of 30 candidates across 11 countries or territories. Conflict context and attribution, physical actions, damage manifestations, affected components and cumulative conditions are coded at separate analytical levels. Physical Loss Class (PLC 0–4) is used only as a unit-dependent index for comparison within this sample. The revised coding records explosive or projectile action in 23 cases, fire or thermal exposure in 6 cases, and mechanical dismantling in 3 cases; actions overlap. Reduced-unit, overlap-reduced and building-only subsets expose the sensitivity of these descriptions to the analytical scale. Three structured contrasts under limited conditions illustrate differing recorded recovery states without matching cases or isolating causal effects. Surviving evidence, access, material compatibility, resources, function and documented authority provide contextual considerations for intervention. The reconstruction–recovery gap is retained as a provisional qualitative decision tool derived from the literature and case evidence. Missing evidence and original wartime fabric loss do not, by themselves, establish a post-reconstruction deficit. A provisional triage sequence links preparedness, separate conflict/safety/access reviews, feasible protection or documented deferral, and subsequent reassessment. International institutional reporting and World Heritage projects dominate the sample; added residential, community and independent technical research broadens interpretation without removing that selection bias. No assessment model is validated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Built Heritage Conservation in the Twenty-First Century: 3rd Edition)

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40 pages, 7265 KB

Open AccessArticle

Can Visual Evidence Be Trusted? Challenges Generative Images Pose to the Integrity of Evidence in Building Research

by Shuoting Xiao, Jihang Li, Nikita Igorevich Fomin and Shan Zhao

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3663; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183663 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Site photographs, material micrographs, and construction records are often used directly as evidence for claims in building research, and generative artificial intelligence can now synthesize such images in their entirety or edit authentic ones locally. How this material is judged once it enters [...] Read more.

Site photographs, material micrographs, and construction records are often used directly as evidence for claims in building research, and generative artificial intelligence can now synthesize such images in their entirety or edit authentic ones locally. How this material is judged once it enters the evidence stream has not been tested empirically. Using ChatGPT Images 2.0, this study assembled 18 images covering three sources—authentic, fully AI-generated, and AI-modified—across three types of evidence content, and 151 participants judged the source of each image and rated its evidentiary credibility and acceptability. Overall identification accuracy was 36.9% against a chance level of 33.3%, and 63.6% of participants scored at or below chance. Fully AI-generated images were judged authentic in 55.1% of cases and authentic images were correctly identified in 51.8%. Stated confidence did not distinguish correctly from incorrect judgments, and AI images mistaken for authentic ones were rated close to genuine images in credibility and acceptability. Accuracy rose with building-related experience, from 32.3% among participants reporting none to 53.1% among those reporting six to ten years, but no group reached a level at which the image alone would be a dependable check of its provenance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization)

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31 pages, 2126 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Two-Stage Fuzzy Decision-Support Framework for Assessing Pre-Construction Readiness of Healthcare Building Projects

by Saleh Al-Thanya, Murat Gunduz and Khalid K. Naji

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3662; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183662 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Decisions made during the pre-construction phase play a decisive role in the success of healthcare building projects. Although pre-construction critical success factors (CSFs) have received considerable research attention, few studies have transformed CSF-based expert ratings into a quantitative and interpretable performance index. This [...] Read more.

Decisions made during the pre-construction phase play a decisive role in the success of healthcare building projects. Although pre-construction critical success factors (CSFs) have received considerable research attention, few studies have transformed CSF-based expert ratings into a quantitative and interpretable performance index. This paper develops and applies a two-stage Mamdani Fuzzy Inference System (FIS) to assess pre-construction performance in healthcare building projects. Data were collected using an online survey completed by construction professionals experienced in healthcare projects. After excluding incomplete responses, careless responses, and multivariate outliers, 201 valid responses were retained. A total of 54 CSFs grouped into eight pre-construction domains were assessed on a five-point Likert scale. The Relative Importance Index (RII) values were calculated and utilized as fuzzy rule weights. In Stage A, CSF-level ratings were converted into eight group-level performance scores, and in Stage B, these scores were integrated to form a single Pre-Construction Healthcare Project Performance Index (PCHPPI). The model was developed in MATLAB R2025b and used five triangular membership functions. The results showed that the scores at group level varied from 63.9% for Technology and Digital Integration to 66.7% for Procurement Planning. The overall PCHPPI was 62.7%, classified as High. Sensitivity analysis was performed using alternate weightings, membership function settings, defuzzification techniques and ±5% input variations. The PCHPPI was classified as High in all examined situations, indicating that it is relatively robust to modest variations in model assumptions and input conditions. This indicates that healthcare pre-construction performance is generally satisfactory but remains closer to the lower boundary of the High classification, suggesting room for improvement. The PCHPPI and Performance Octagon provide a structured basis for performance assessment, diagnosis, and potential benchmarking across pre-construction domains, providing a practical assessment instrument for healthcare construction organizations and project teams. The proposed framework provides a structured decision-support approach for project readiness evaluation during the early planning of healthcare building projects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization)

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47 pages, 25836 KB

Open AccessArticle

Coupled Nonlinear Torsional Seismic Behaviour of a Triple-Friction-Pendulum-Isolated Five-Storey RCC Building Under Nonstationary Earthquake Excitation

by Zhang Qing Qing

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3661; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183661 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Triple Friction Pendulum (TFP) bearings are widely employed as seismic isolation systems to reduce seismic force and deformation demands in structures. However, the combined influence of vertical mass-distribution irregularity, soil–structure interaction (SSI), structural eccentricity, and nonstationary earthquake excitation on the nonlinear torsional response [...] Read more.

Triple Friction Pendulum (TFP) bearings are widely employed as seismic isolation systems to reduce seismic force and deformation demands in structures. However, the combined influence of vertical mass-distribution irregularity, soil–structure interaction (SSI), structural eccentricity, and nonstationary earthquake excitation on the nonlinear torsional response of TFP-isolated buildings remains insufficiently understood. This study investigates the seismic response of a five-storey reinforced concrete (RCC) building equipped with TFP bearings subjected to nonstationary spectrum-compatible horizontal earthquake ground motions. The investigated structure represents a low-to-medium-rise isolated building with a superstructure period Ts ≤ 0.5 s, and the conclusions are applicable within the examined structural configuration, adopted TFP properties, and equivalent SSI modelling assumptions. A nonlinear time-history analysis framework combined with Monte Carlo-based spectrum-compatible ground-motion simulations is employed to evaluate the effects of SSI, structural eccentricity, and vertical mass-distribution irregularity. Validation against OpenSees benchmark simulations demonstrates strong agreement in the predicted structural responses. Parametric analyses show that increasing the soil stiffness ratio from 0.5 to 2.0 reduces the normalized isolation displacement by approximately 46.5% and the corner rotational response by approximately 36.7%. Conversely, increasing the vertical mass-irregularity ratio from 1.0 to 1.5 increases the inter-storey drift ratio by approximately 60% and corner-displacement magnification by approximately 48.6% within the investigated cases. The results demonstrate that seismic response is governed not only by the magnitude of vertical mass irregularity but also by its location due to changes in inertia-force distribution, modal participation, and lateral–torsional coupling. These findings highlight the importance of considering SSI and vertical mass distribution simultaneously when assessing the seismic performance of torsionally asymmetric TFP-isolated RCC buildings. Further studies incorporating taller structures, multidirectional excitation, detailed soil–foundation interaction models, and experimentally calibrated TFP properties are required to extend the applicability of the findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanical Properties of Geotechnical Structures: Sustainable Materials, Physical–Numerical Modeling, and AI-Based Performance Assessment)

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22 pages, 7100 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Use of PHC Pipe Piles as Foundation Piles and Excavation Support Columns: Connection Design, Local Finite Element Analysis, and Field Performance Monitoring

by Minghan Jiang, Haitao Hu, Chao Xu, Mingyu Wang, Chenghong Shi, Xiang Xu and Wenwei Wang

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3660; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183660 - 15 Sep 2026

Abstract

Deep excavations in soft ground commonly use permanent foundation piles and temporary support columns as independent systems, causing duplicated construction and discontinuous force transfer. This study proposes an integrated pile–column system in which prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles serve as both permanent [...] Read more.

Deep excavations in soft ground commonly use permanent foundation piles and temporary support columns as independent systems, causing duplicated construction and discontinuous force transfer. This study proposes an integrated pile–column system in which prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles serve as both permanent foundation piles and temporary excavation support columns. The main scientific contribution is a constructible load-transfer framework for this dual-purpose use. Two steel transition details were developed: a steel sleeve connecting the PHC pile to the steel transfer beam, and a steel transfer structure connecting the pile to the base slab. Together, they establish a continuous column–beam–strut load path. Local three-dimensional finite element models were developed in Abaqus to quantify stress transfer in the critical connection regions under prescribed service-stage actions. The maximum sleeve shear stress and beam axial stress were 27.92 and 112.56 MPa, respectively. The corresponding gross-section elastic bending stress in the PHC pile was 7.48 MPa. The models characterize local connection responses; staged excavation and soil–structure interaction were outside their scope. The system was implemented in the Dongcun Road No. 2021G68 project in Nanjing. Third-party monitoring recorded maximum retaining-wall head displacement, deep horizontal displacement, pile column settlement, and strut force of 10.24 mm, 12.59 mm, 0.43 mm, and 658 kN, respectively. All values remained below the project alarm thresholds. The study establishes a field-documented design framework for PHC pile–column integration and identifies the critical connection regions governing local stress transfer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

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33 pages, 3214 KB

Open AccessArticle

Environmental Perceptions and Older Adults’ Continued Usage Intention Toward Community Green Open Spaces: The Mediating Roles of Outdoor Activity Motivation and Perceived Emotional Healing

by Wei Cheng, Junjie Yu, Siqin Wang, Guangliang Sang and Ken Nah

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3659; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183659 - 14 Sep 2026

Abstract

With the accelerating ageing of the population in China, understanding older adults’ intention to continue using Community Green Open Space (CGOS) and the associated psychological pathways is of great importance for age-friendly community planning. However, existing studies have primarily focused on objective environmental [...] Read more.

With the accelerating ageing of the population in China, understanding older adults’ intention to continue using Community Green Open Space (CGOS) and the associated psychological pathways is of great importance for age-friendly community planning. However, existing studies have primarily focused on objective environmental attributes of green spaces, while insufficient attention has been paid to older adults’ subjective environmental perceptions and the psychological pathways linking these perceptions to continued usage intention. Guided by the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) framework, this study adopted an exploratory sequential mixed-methods design. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 older adults aged 60 years and above in Shijiazhuang, China, and the data were analyzed using Grounded Theory. The five core themes identified from the interviews were conceptually mapped into five environmental perception constructs: Visibility of Green Facilities (VGF), Green Structural Diversity (GSD), Perceived Green Accessibility (PGA), Green Interactive Experience (GIE), and Perceived Green Usability (PGU). In the quantitative phase, Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed using 752 valid questionnaires to examine the direct associations between these constructs and Continued Usage Intention (CUI), as well as the indirect associations through Outdoor Activity Motivation (OAM) and Perceived Emotional Healing (PEH). The results indicate that all five environmental perception constructs were positively associated with older adults’ continued usage intention. Statistically significant indirect associations through Outdoor Activity Motivation were observed for Visibility of Green Facilities, Perceived Green Accessibility, Green Interactive Experience, and Perceived Green Usability, but not for Green Structural Diversity. Statistically significant indirect associations through Perceived Emotional Healing were observed for Visibility of Green Facilities, Green Structural Diversity, Green Interactive Experience, and Perceived Green Usability, but not for Perceived Green Accessibility. These findings suggest that motivational activation and emotional restoration represent two complementary psychological pathways linking environmental perceptions with older adults’ continued usage intention. This study reveals the psychological pathways underlying the relationship between CGOS environmental perceptions and older adults’ continued usage intention, providing theoretical insights and practical references for the planning optimization and age-friendly design of Community Green Open Space within the context of healthy ageing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems)

23 pages, 15245 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Context-Dependent Occupant Behavior into Urban Building Energy Modeling: A Data-Driven Framework for High-Density Housing

by Qingxin Yang, Zhexi Yang, Feixue Chen and Wei-Zhen Jane Lu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3658; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183658 - 14 Sep 2026

Abstract

Accurate prediction of building energy consumption is critical for sustainable urbanization, while dynamic occupant interactions with the building envelope remain a major source of uncertainty. Prevailing cross-scale building energy models often rely on simplified or uniform behavioral assumptions that cannot adequately represent the [...] Read more.

Accurate prediction of building energy consumption is critical for sustainable urbanization, while dynamic occupant interactions with the building envelope remain a major source of uncertainty. Prevailing cross-scale building energy models often rely on simplified or uniform behavioral assumptions that cannot adequately represent the spatial and temporal heterogeneity of occupant actions such as window opening and curtain use. This study proposes an AI-augmented framework that integrates field-observed occupant behavior, machine-learning prediction, and physics-based building energy simulation. Time-series observations of window and curtain states were collected from 1609 rooms across 12 residential buildings in a high-density neighborhood in Hong Kong. Environmental and contextual associations were first examined at the aggregated behavioral level, after which Random Forest models were used to generate dynamic behavior schedules. These schedules were subsequently integrated into EnergyPlus to evaluate how different levels of occupant behavior representation affect simulated cooling energy demand and computational cost. Compared with the Detailed Scenario, the Template Scenario produced 20.5% higher simulated cooling energy, while the Average Scenario showed an 8.7% relative difference with 20.6% less simulation time. An additional controlled analysis showed that removing surrounding buildings increased simulated cooling energy by 1.7–9.3%, demonstrating the direct physical influence of inter-building shading. Overall, the proposed framework provides a practical pathway for incorporating context-dependent occupant behavior into urban building energy modeling and for evaluating the trade-offs between behavioral modeling detail and computational efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Towards Innovative Approaches in Urban Science and Architectural Research Using Artificial Intelligence)

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21 pages, 5967 KB

Open AccessArticle

Damage Evolution of the Surrounding Ground and Cross-Sectional Shape Optimization for Shallow-Buried Mined Subway Tunnels Under Different Lateral Pressure Conditions

by Gang Lei, Fucai Hua, Jianjun Luo, Wenzhuo Si and Jianye Zhu

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3657; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183657 - 14 Sep 2026

Abstract

In dense urban environments, excavation of shallow-buried subway tunnels can generate a pronounced excavation-damaged zone (excavation-induced plastic zone), which reduces the mechanical integrity and long-term stability of the surrounding ground. This study investigates the single-track sequential excavation method tunnel between Hongmiao Station and [...] Read more.

In dense urban environments, excavation of shallow-buried subway tunnels can generate a pronounced excavation-damaged zone (excavation-induced plastic zone), which reduces the mechanical integrity and long-term stability of the surrounding ground. This study investigates the single-track sequential excavation method tunnel between Hongmiao Station and Ciyunsiqiao Station on Beijing Rail Transit Line 22 using theoretical analysis, FLAC3D simulation, and field monitoring. The deformation response, stress redistribution, and plastic zone evolution are evaluated throughout the excavation sequence for lateral pressure coefficients of 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, and 1.0. The influence of matching the tunnel cross-sectional shape to the initial stress condition is also examined. The simulated settlement agrees with the field measurements, with deviations within 10%. As the lateral pressure coefficient increases, the dominant deformation mode changes from vertical convergence, characterized by crown settlement and invert heave, to horizontal squeezing concentrated near the haunches and wall feet. Although the far-field plastic zone contracts toward the opening, local convergence and circumferential shear demand increase. Analysis of an idealized elliptical opening shows that the circumferential stress is most uniform when the height-to-span ratio b/a approaches the lateral pressure coefficient K0. For practical horseshoe sections, a moderate reduction in b/a and smoother curvature transitions can reduce local stress concentration while preserving crown arching action. The results provide a preliminary mechanical basis for cross-sectional shape selection under different lateral pressure conditions and offer a reference for identifying locations where differentiated support measures may be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

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