Search Results (14,230)

The trade-off between flowability and anti-dispersion properties of alkali-activated slag slurry in underwater environments represents a key technical bottleneck limiting their application in marine underwater engineering. In this study, granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS) was used as the raw material, with the modulus of liquid sodium silicate adjusted by NaOH serving as the alkali activator, and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) and polyacrylamide (PAM) selected as anti-dispersion agents. This study systematically investigates the synergistic regulation mechanisms of the anti-dispersion agents’ type, dosage, and activator on the anti-dispersion properties and rheological behavior of alkali-activated slag slurry, and revealed the evolution mechanisms of the microstructure of the hardened slurry through X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analysis. The results indicate that the activator is the key factor in regulating the various properties of the slurry, and the combination of PAM and HPMC produces a significant synergistic effect. At the optimal formulation (modulus of 1.0, total blended anti-dispersion agent content of 1%, and a mass ratio of PAM to HPMC of 1:1), the slurry exhibited a wet loss rate of 38.45%, a solid retention rate of 89.98%, a flow value of 195 mm, and a 28-day compressive strength of 41.62 MPa, achieving an optimal balance between anti-dispersion performance and workability. Full article

Asphalt pavements undergo progressive mechanical changes during service life due to traffic loading, temperature variations, moisture and material ageing. Embedded strain sensors can support in-situ pavement performance monitoring, but their response is strongly affected by experimental variables that must be identified before reliable long-term ageing indicators can be established. This study establishes an in-situ baseline mechanical monitoring framework for asphalt pavements using embedded resistive strain transducers. KM-100HAS sensors were installed in an asphalt test section and evaluated through controlled field campaigns. A 17-point cross-pattern loading procedure was used to validate sensor location and orientation after construction. Load-free monitoring windows were analysed to estimate strain–temperature sensitivity and assess thermal correction of static loading–recovery tests. The results showed that loading position strongly conditions the measured strain response. Passive monitoring indicated that strain–temperature sensitivity depends on both temperature level and sensor location. In the mechanical tests, normalization of the recovery branch and logarithmic fitting over the first 200 s provided a consistent recovery-shape descriptor. The resulting slope, $b_{\mathrm{l}\mathrm{o}\mathrm{g}200}$, showed a strong linear relationship with the recovery percentage after 10 min (R² = 0.855). The proposed workflow provides a standardized baseline protocol for asphalt pavement monitoring and its mechanical evolution. Full article

To meet the demands for lightweight design and high-conductivity connections in new energy vehicles, the high-quality joining of dissimilar Al/Cu metals has emerged as a critical research focus. In this study, laser welding was performed on 2 mm-thick 1060 pure aluminum and T2 copper plates. The effects of laser power (3.6–4.0 kW) and welding speed (0.9–1.5 m/min) on the interfacial microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of the lap joints were systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that the macroscopic morphology of the weld is primarily governed by heat input: excessive laser power induces transverse cracking, whereas an overly low welding speed promotes porosity. Microstructural analysis revealed that intermetallic compounds (IMCs), such as Al₂Cu, AlCu, and Al₄Cu₉, predominantly form at the interface, with their morphology and distribution varying significantly depending on the heat input. Under the optimized parameters of a 3.8 kW laser power and a 1.2 m/min welding speed, sufficient mixing of the molten Al and Cu was achieved. This promoted the formation of fine, dispersed IMCs accompanied by a continuous Al–Cu eutectic layer at the interface, yielding a maximum tensile-shear load of 1561 N. This research elucidates the intrinsic relationship between heat input and the microstructure–property correlation of Al/Cu laser-welded joints, identifying a viable process window for 2 mm-thick sheets and providing theoretical and practical guidance for joining dissimilar medium-thickness metal plates. Full article

To investigate the engineering performance and microstructural evolution of magnesium chloride–cement composite-stabilized loess, laboratory tests were conducted on loess treated with different cement contents and MgCl₂ dosages. Compaction tests, unconfined compressive strength (UCS) tests after 7 and 28 days of curing, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analyses were performed to establish the relationship among hydration products, pore evolution, and strength development. The results showed that MgCl₂ increased the maximum dry density and reduced the optimum moisture content, thereby improving the compactability of cement-stabilized loess. The UCS exhibited a non-monotonic response to increasing MgCl₂ dosage, with an initial decrease followed by an increase and a subsequent decline. The optimal MgCl₂ content was 1.7% for 8% cement and 1.8% for both 10% and 12% cement. Integrated XRD, SEM, and NMR analyses revealed that an appropriate MgCl₂ dosage regulates the hydration and microstructural evolution of cement-stabilized loess through the formation of Mg-bearing reaction products, enhanced interparticle bonding, and refinement of the pore structure. The resulting reductions in total porosity and the proportion of medium and large pores were closely associated with the observed strength enhancement, establishing a clear hydration–pore structure–strength relationship. Although the 12% cement–1.8% MgCl₂ mixture achieved the highest strength, the 10% cement–1.8% MgCl₂ mixture provided a more favorable balance between mechanical performance and cement consumption. These findings provide mechanistic insight into MgCl₂-regulated hydration and pore-structure evolution and support the optimized use of MgCl₂ as an auxiliary modifier for cement-stabilized loess. Full article

The evolution of modern enterprise architecture has been strongly influenced by distributed web services, especially protocol-based standards such as Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) and resource-oriented architectural styles such as Representational State Transfer (REST). Cloud-native ecosystems, microservice architectures, and public API management commonly favor the lightweight, JSON-compatible, and horizontally scalable characteristics of RESTful services, whereas legacy configurations and highly regulated environments continue to use SOAP because of its formal contracts and compatibility with WS-* specifications for message-level security, reliable messaging, and transaction coordination. This paper presents a structured literature review that evaluates the architectural trade-offs, performance patterns, security boundaries, reliability considerations, and enterprise use cases of REST and SOAP. The review follows PRISMA-informed reporting practices and software-engineering review guidance, but it is not presented as an exhaustive systematic review because the original search strategy required REST and SOAP terms to appear together. IEEE Xplore, ACM Digital Library, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were searched for studies published between 2021 and 2026, resulting in 32 selected studies. The selected literature contains different evidence roles, including direct REST-SOAP empirical comparisons, REST-only and SOAP-only empirical studies, implementation studies, analytical papers, surveys, reviews, and contextual technical sources. The synthesis therefore separates direct empirical evidence from contextual and secondary evidence. The findings indicate that RESTful APIs generally show lower latency, smaller payloads, simpler parsing, and better horizontal scalability in the reported benchmark and web-facing settings, while SOAP remains relevant where formal service contracts, message-level protection, reliable messaging patterns, and transaction coordination are required. The paper identifies gaps in production-representative stress testing, empirical security comparison, reference-level traceability, and independent validation of hybrid REST-SOAP decision models. The resulting decision framework is presented as a provisional evidence-informed decision aid, not as an empirically validated tool. Full article

This article presents a critical review of the development of window systems used in civil engineering, interpreting them not as discrete construction products, but as complex technical and material systems whose actual value emerges from the interdependence of structural configuration, material composition, thermal performance, durability, and manufacturing and implementation constraints. The review discusses the evolution of windows from simple envelope elements providing daylight, ventilation, and weather protection into advanced building-envelope systems associated with energy efficiency, occupant comfort, in-service durability, and environmental responsibility. Particular attention is given to the principal families of window systems, including PVC-U, aluminium, timber, steel, façade, hybrid, and composite-based solutions. The analysis shows that improving the thermal insulation of a single component is not, in itself, a sufficient criterion for evaluating system quality. Declared performance may be constrained by thermal bridges at the installation interface, ageing of sealing systems, imperfections in joining processes, material deformation, and difficulties related to repair, disassembly, and recycling. From the perspective of sustainable construction, window systems should therefore be assessed across their whole life cycle, taking into account energy effectiveness, in-service stability, technological feasibility, renovation potential, and the possibility of closing material loops. The review also identifies the need for further research into integrated assessment methods, the long-term durability of advanced frame systems, the role of the window-to-wall interface, and verifiable strategies for circularity. Full article

Confronted with severe global challenges, including water scarcity, excessive use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides, and heavy metal contamination in soils, conventional agricultural technologies exhibit marked limitations in integrated water–fertilizer management and non-point source pollution control. Leveraging their excellent water retention capacity, intelligent sustained-release properties, and environmental responsiveness, hydrogels offer innovative solutions to advance sustainable agricultural development. This review comprehensively outlines the fundamental types, crosslinking mechanisms, and key functional properties of hydrogels, with a focused discussion on their agricultural deployment as high-efficiency soil conditioners, fertilizer vectors, and pesticide carriers; it deciphers the microscopic water-holding mechanisms under the tristate water model, delineates the divergent water-uptake and retention behaviors between ionic and non-ionic hydrogels, and clarifies the cyclic water-holding and release mechanisms of hydrogels during soil amelioration. Thise paper further synthesizes hydrogel-enabled environmental remediation applications, in which heavy metals and pesticide residues in soils and aquatic systems are removed via functional-group coordination adsorption or photocatalytic degradation; concurrently, hydrogels have been shown to activate plant systemic immunity through calcium-signaling pathways, thereby inducing broad-spectrum antiviral defense responses. Moreover, hydrogels can be integrated into precision agriculture frameworks to enable real-time monitoring of crop physiological status and to support targeted irrigation and fertilization management. This work also evaluates the role of hydrogels in promoting seed germination, root system development, crop metabolic regulation, and stress resilience, while introducing tailored application strategies across distinct plant growth stages. Their documented economic advantages include water conservation, enhanced crop yields, reduced dependence on synthetic fertilizers, and lower labor costs. Nevertheless, the large-scale implementation of hydrogels continues to face multifaceted challenges—particularly poor degradability and latent ecological risks, as conventional polyacrylamide (PAM)-based gels resist soil mineralization and retain potentially neurotoxic monomers, leaving a critical gap in multi-annual field data concerning their non-target interference with native soil aggregate evolution, pore distribution, and rhizospheric carbon–nitrogen footprints. Mechanistically, many hydrogels with tensile strengths below 1 MPa are highly susceptible to three-dimensional network collapse under high-salinity osmotic shock and tillage mechanical stress, exhibiting a precipitous drop in water retention after more than three wet–dry cycles due to deficient long-term structural stability. Compounding these technical gaps are elevated production costs and low farmer adoption, driven by the absence of texture-specific performance thresholds—such as an available water increment ≥ 40% for sandy soils—and the lack of established life-cycle cost models and farmer incentive mechanisms for bio-based hydrogels. Moving forward, hydrogel technology should pivot toward materials innovation and cost-reduction engineering to broaden its applicability, employ ≥3-year, multi-habitat regional trials to delineate ecological benefit–risk boundaries, and ultimately position hydrogels as pivotal enablers of sustainable, green agricultural paradigms. Full article

A full-scale field investigation was performed to evaluate the lateral pressure exerted by fresh concrete on a 6.67 m-high single-sided wall formwork during on-site casting. Five embedded pressure sensors were installed at various elevations to enable high-frequency, real-time monitoring of pressure evolution throughout the casting process. The experimental programme captured the combined effects of casting rate, staged placement, internal vibration, and casting interruptions, and the measured results were compared with widely used design models (ACI 347R-14, DIN 18218, and CIRIA R108). The results indicate a strongly non-hydrostatic pressure distribution, with a maximum pressure of 56 kN/m² occurring at an intermediate height, rather than at the base, exceeding the design value by more than twice. Transient pressure peaks were closely associated with vibration, while casting interruptions promoted thixotropic structural build-up and reduced pressure recovery in lower regions. Comparison with design models demonstrates that commonly used approaches may significantly underestimate peak pressures unless conservative assumptions or calibrated parameters are applied. These findings provide rare full-scale field evidence of time-dependent and vibration-induced pressure behaviour and highlight the importance of real-time monitoring for capturing transient effects. The study contributes to an improved understanding of fresh concrete behaviour in single-sided wall systems and supports the development of safer, more reliable formwork design approaches. Full article

Alkali-activated binders (AABs) represent eco-friendly alternatives to ordinary Portland cement. Nevertheless, the synergistic influences of calcium dosage and aluminosilicate stoichiometry on phase assemblage, gel nanostructure, and mechanical properties have not been fully elucidated. Herein, AAB samples with graded CaO contents were fabricated, and the co-regulatory mechanisms of CaO dosage and Si/Al molar ratio on compressive strength and microstructural evolution were systematically explored through compressive strength tests, XRD, TG-DTG, FTIR, and SEM-EDS. In addition, pure reference C-S-H and N-A-S-H gels were synthesized by using the sol–gel method for comparison with AAB pastes. The results reveal that CaO dosage acts as the primary parameter dictating gel phase transition and strength level, categorizing the prepared AABs into three distinct zones: low-calcium region (CaO < 10 wt.%), medium-calcium region (10–20 wt.%), and high-calcium region (CaO > 20 wt.%). Combined grey relational and partial correlation analyses clarify the collinearity-induced false correlations and reveal the stage-dependent independent effects of oxide molar ratios on AABs’ compressive strength. Low-calcium AAB matrices are dominated by N-A-S-H gel networks coexisting with abundant low-strength zeolite crystals, which deteriorate thermal stability and retard strength gain. Increasing CaO content triggers a progressive phase transformation from N-A-S-H gel to high-strength C-(A)-S-H gel. Abundant Ca-rich chabazite and C-S-H gel form in high-calcium systems, which fill internal pores and microcracks and greatly enhance matrix densification and thermal resistance. This work clarifies the multiscale regulatory mechanism of calcium species over gel polycondensation, crystalline phase development, and mechanical performance of AABs, offering fundamental theoretical guidance for the customized design and property optimization of high-strength alkali-activated binders. Full article

Artificial intelligence (AI) has rapidly reshaped sports motion analysis through advances in wearable sensing, computer vision, and deep learning. However, existing reviews often focus on isolated techniques and lack a systematic evolutionary perspective. This study presents a 15-year bibliometric and evolutionary review of AI in sports motion analysis (2011–2025), integrating scientometric mapping with quantitative content analysis across modalities, methods, and applications. A comprehensive multi-source dataset of 2602 publications was analyzed using VOSviewer and CiteSpace to examine knowledge structures, collaboration patterns, co-citation networks, and emerging research fronts. In addition, each study was categorized by modality (wearable, visual, and multi-modal), AI method (traditional machine learning, deep learning, and transformer-based), and task type (activity recognition, performance analysis, rehabilitation, and others). The results reveal exponential growth and a clear three-stage evolution: a sensor-driven phase dominated by wearable devices and traditional machine learning (2011–2015), a deep learning expansion phase centered on vision-based modeling (2016–2019), and a recent deep learning consolidation phase characterized by emerging transformer-based methods, increasing multimodal integration, real-time monitoring, and application-oriented sports analytics (2020–2025). The field has shifted from signal-based recognition toward vision-centered performance evaluation, rehabilitation-related movement assessment, and injury-informed applications. This data-driven review provides an integrated evolutionary framework and future research roadmap to support the continued development of AI-driven analytics in sports science, athlete monitoring, and health-related human movement analysis. Full article

Olive pâté is a lipid-rich semi-solid product susceptible to oxidative deterioration during storage. This study investigated microencapsulated bergamot (Citrus bergamia) by-product extract (MBE) as a natural antioxidant for improving olive pâté stability. MBE, obtained by spray drying with 20% (w/w) maltodextrin, was incorporated at 2.5 or 5.0 g per 100 g of olives (OP_2.5 and OP₅), while a non-enriched formulation served as control (CTR). Samples were stored at 20 and 30 °C for 100 days and analysed for physicochemical, colour, phenolic, antioxidant, microbiological, sensory, and oxidative stability. Storage temperature and formulation significantly influenced quality evolution. At 30 °C, OP_2.5 showed the lowest total colour difference after 100 days (ΔE* = 3.29 versus 5.05 for CTR) and the highest final DPPH radical-scavenging activity. Both enriched formulations exhibited longer Oxitest induction periods than CTR at day 0 (26.53 and 25.33 vs. 19.85 h) and after 100 days at 30 °C (22.30 and 21.50 vs. 16.45 h). Microbial counts remained low, while sensory profiling indicated limited rancidity development and preservation of the main sensory characteristics. MBE effects were not proportional to the amount added, with OP2.5 providing the most balanced performance. These findings support MBE as a promising clean-label ingredient for improving olive pâté stability. Full article

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains a major kinetic bottleneck in fuel cells, metal-air batteries, and related electrochemical devices. Perovskite oxides are attractive ORR catalysts due to the ABO₃ lattice, which permits systematic control of transition-metal electronic structure, metal–oxygen covalency, and defect chemistry. This review compares low-temperature electrocatalytic ORR, including the 2e⁻ and 4e⁻ pathways, with high-temperature cathodic ORR in mixed ionic–electronic conductors, where oxygen adsorption, charge transfer, O=O bond cleavage, oxygen incorporation, and bulk transport are interlinked. The main optimization strategies, including A-site and B-site doping, defect engineering, nanostructuring, heterostructure/composite formation, and mechanisms, are discussed. Particular attention is given to the distinct requirements of fuel cells and metal-air batteries. Across these systems, perovskite ORR performance is governed by the joint evolution of surface chemistry, defect structure, and electrode architecture under operating conditions. Full article

Tip seal leakage in shrouded steam turbines can significantly affect the aerodynamic performance of downstream blade rows. An unsteady three-dimensional numerical model of a 1.5-stage high-pressure steam turbine is established using ANSYS CFX (ANSYS2021) with the SST k–ω turbulence model. Tip seal clearances of 1.0, 1.5, and 1.9 mm are investigated using the Q-criterion and vorticity transport equation to characterize leakage-vortex evolution and its interaction with the mainstream. The results show that increasing tip seal clearance strengthens leakage flow and expands its interaction region. The expansion term exhibits a relatively stronger influence on vorticity variation near the seal teeth, whereas the vortex stretching term plays a significant role in leakage-vortex evolution near the seal inlet, outlet, and cavity. Leakage vortices interact with the rotor wake, intensifying velocity gradients and aerodynamic loss, with pronounced flow distortion near 85% rotor span. The disturbance is further transported to the downstream stator, causing marked variations in flow angle, circumferential velocity, and static pressure in the upper-span region. At 95% and 99% blade heights, pronounced differences in suction-surface static pressure occur within the forward 80% of the chord length. These findings clarify the aerodynamic consequences of tip seal leakage and its downstream effects. Full article

The shear behavior of loess is closely linked to its microstructural evolution, and understanding this relationship is essential for deciphering the mechanisms of loess hazards. In this study, consolidated-drained (CD) triaxial tests were conducted on intact Q₃ Malan loess from the Dongzhi tableland, China, under varying water contents and confining pressures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) analyses were performed on specimens before and after shearing to quantitatively and qualitatively characterize the changes in pore and particle properties and their connection to shear deformation. The results reveal three failure modes, including shear, homogeneous, and plastic failure. They are governed by the combined effects of microstructural variation and microcrack development, depending on confining pressure and water content. Quantitatively, as water content increases from 9% to 20%, cohesion decreases by 86.8% and peak shear strength reduces by 68.4%, while the internal friction angle decreases only slightly. Water-induced strength deterioration is governed primarily by cohesion loss rather than friction angle reduction. Thus, 20% water content was identified as the critical threshold marking the transition from cohesion-dominated to friction-dominated strength degradation. A critical threshold at approximately 27% water content is identified, beyond which about 70% of mesopore and macropore volumes undergo collapse, after which the strength is almost entirely sustained by interparticle friction. Based on these findings, the water-induced strength decay mechanism is categorized into three stages: rapid cement degradation, friction-dominated transition, and slow attenuation. These macroscopic phenomena are closely linked to the continuous adjustment of the microstructure, manifested by the softening, dispersion, and disintegration of cementations, particle movement and rearrangement, and the reduction and mutual transformation of inter-aggregate pores under loading and wetting. The three-stage mechanism and threshold characteristics of loess strength degradation upon wetting revealed in this study can provide theoretical support for early slope-instability warning in loess irrigation and heavy rainfall regions, as well as engineering reinforcement prioritizing the recovery of cohesion. Full article

Floating vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) couple intrinsically unsteady rotor aerodynamics with the motions of their supporting platforms, producing complex temporal variations in power output, aerodynamic loads, and wake transport. A structured search of the Web of Science Core Collection and Scopus, supplemented by citation tracking, identified peer-reviewed studies published from database inception to 30 June 2026. The reviewed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) studies were classified as decoupled or fully coupled according to whether bidirectional feedback between the flow field and platform response was resolved. The evidence shows that motion-induced velocities alter blade-relative inflow and effective angle of attack, thereby modifying dynamic stall, loads, and wake evolution. Scaled testing is limited by the incompatibility between Froude and Reynolds similitude. Under identical pitch conditions, the mean power coefficient increased by 16.42% at full scale but decreased by 56.71% at 1:100 scale. Platform motion generally increases power and load fluctuations but may accelerate wake recovery; effects on mean performance remain configuration- and scale-dependent, so no universally optimal rotor-platform design has emerged. Overall, this review provides an integrated understanding of the effects of platform motion on the unsteady aerodynamics, load responses, and wake evolution of floating VAWTs, and clarifies the applicability of decoupled and fully coupled CFD methods to mechanism identification and system-level assessment. Full article