SSP - JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol.
17, Issue 1, 2022
DOI: 10.2478/sspjce-2022-0020
SSP-JCE Volume 17
Lenka Kabošová1*, Katarína Čákyová2
Technical University of Kosice, Slovakia
Faculty of Civil Engineering, 1CRIC – Center for Research and Innovation in Construction, 2Institute of
Architectural Engineering,
*e-mail: lenka.kabosova@tuke.sk
Abstract
The building industry, like many other industries, is driven to take a significant turn due to the pressing issue of
global climate change. The potential in digital technologies and digital design approaches is pushed forward and
exploited in architecture, structural, civil, and geotechnical engineering. The challenges such as the overheating of
buildings and urban spaces, lack of drinking water, expensive and environment-aggressive building materials, and
many more are investigated in more depth in Volume 17 of the Selected Scientific Papers - Journal of Civil
Engineering.
Keywords: building industry, architecture, changing climate
1 Introduction
In the last decade, architectural design and the construction industry are increasingly facing many issues
and changes [1]. Undoubtedly, the most significant is climate change, which has significantly affected
the construction industry [2]. One of the many issues is the increasingly frequent overheating of cities
and buildings themselves during the summer season [3, 4]. As a result, there is a greater need for energy
for cooling [5]. Therefore, several studies focus on optimizing and reducing energy consumption for
cooling spaces, for example by using different ventilation strategies [6], including the natural ventilation
between buildings [7] but also by using intelligent shading, progressive glass systems, or appropriate
orientation to the cardinal points [8]. This is also related to room daylight, which has a significant impact
on the quality of the indoor environment [9].
The need for sustainability in construction shows the necessity of using recycled materials applicable to
the circular economy [10]. We are also observing the development and testing of new building materials
that would be less energy-intensive to produce and would replace traditionally energy-intensive
materials [11, 12].
The current issue of the SSP magazine also summarizes the trends we observe worldwide in the field of
construction. In individual published articles, the authors describe in detail modern design approaches
in construction and future technologies, without which the civil engineer of this new era cannot do.
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Kabošová L. and Čákyová K.
2 Volume 17 Research Topics
2.1 Overheating of Interiors
Overheating mitigation strategies through employing structural elements with greater heat
accumulation are investigated in the first article. Although the authors have experimented with
heavy-weight structures and window shaders, the interior temperature in the summer, due to the
trends of extreme heat waves, did not reach the required level below <27°C throughout the
whole day. Further investigations into this topic are planned.
2.2 Recycled Materials
Adding >1.5% of recycled PET fiber to mortar has a distinctive impact on the physical and
mechanical characteristics of the mortar obtained in both fresh and hardened states. For more
details, the reader is encouraged to read the second article.
2.3 Water Management
The strategies for minimizing drinking water loss are ranging from computational approaches
in designing infrastructure, through changes in directives to attempts for changes in industrial
practice. A balanced approach, considering the water leakages, and taking the non-revenue
water into consideration, has revealed that the water distribution systems are more sensitive to
pressure than has been assumed, according to the third article of the 2022 issue.
2.4 Energy Storage
The thermal energy storage, after it is produced in abundance can be made utilizing bio-based
phase change materials such as plastics immersed in coconut oil, as can be read in the fourth
article.
2.5 High-performance Concrete
Pozzolan as an additive was immersed in two acids, hydrochloric and sulfuric to experiment
with the resulting mechanical properties of concrete. The Ultra-high-performance concrete
made from Portland cement substituted with 10% pozzolana has improved mechanical
characteristics
2.6 Daylight in the Interior
Two identical rooms with different glazing at the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the Slovak
Technical University in Bratislava were investigated regarding the photopic and melanopic
daylighting values. As the authors conclude, it is essential to consider the spectral properties of
glazing and indoor opaque surfaces. For more information, don’t hesitate to dive into article 6.
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SSP - JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol. 17, Issue 1, 2022
2.7 Enhancing the Properties of Soil
The effects of different percentages of ground granulated blast-furnace slag with quicklime used
as an activator on the immediate behavior of the silty clay are studied and the compressive
strength, cohesion, and internal angle of friction are observed. The results of the investigation
can be read in article number 7 of the 2022 issue.
2.8 Digital Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams
A Fuzzy Logic Expert System with different types of membership functions as an Artificial
Intelligence (AI)-based prediction can be used to predict the deflection behavior of the Near
Surface Mounted Reinforced Concrete beams. Based on two inputs (applied load and variable
length), the deflection of two types of strengthened RC beams was predicted.
2.9 Estimation of Foundations Deformation
In geotechnical engineering, the deformations of shallow foundations after many (>1000)
loading cycles can be predicted digitally with good precision, employing the Finite Element
Method as article number 9 explains.
2.10 High-performance Fiber Concrete
At high temperatures, the mechanical properties of concrete deteriorate. The influence of
polypropylene fibers and their effect on the deterioration behavior of concrete is studied in the
tenth article of volume 17’s issue.
2.11 Digital Analysis of a Concrete Dam
The combined effect of dam height with the fluid compressibility on the concrete dam and its
dynamic response is investigated in article 11. As the Finite Element analysis showed, the effect
of interaction between the dam and the reservoir is important for the precise prediction of the
gravity dams’ structural behavior.
2.12 Self-compacting Concrete with Recycled Aggregates
Aggregates, produced from the cement production and construction industry wastes proved to
have enhanced mechanical properties (high mechanical strength). The use of sands obtained
from cement waste opens up a valuable economic and technical alternative in the construction
industry.
2.13 The Wind Flow Around Atypically Shaped Buildings
As the aerodynamic forces, induced by the wind flow around buildings of unconventional
shapes are not yet well analyzed (as opposed to the box-shaped buildings), an elliptically-shaped
high-rise building was investigated employing the wind tunnel in article 13.
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Kabošová L. and Čákyová K.
2.14 Superplasticizers in Concrete
Article number 14 investigates the influence of three types of superplasticizers of different
chemical compositions of concrete (Combined Synthetic Polymers, Poly-Carboxylate Ether,
and Modified Poly-Carboxylate Ether) on its rheological behavior and mechanical properties.
2.15 Numerical Modeling in Geotechnical Practice
The study of sophisticated constitutive soil models in numerical modeling of soils proved the
adequacy of the use of the hypoplastic model with improved intergranular strain, which was
also confirmed by obtained experimental results.
2.16 Digital Analysis of Temperature Loads on a Concrete Bridge
The reinforced concrete bridge was analyzed digitally, regarding the thermodynamic effects on
the bridge structure. The thermal effects, the magnitude of the acting temperature, and the
mechanical properties of the bridge structure are crucial parameters in the theoretical calculation
model affecting its final theoretical behavior, which must reflect the real behavior of the bridge
structure, as article 16 explains.
2.17 Stone Columns for Enhancing the Bearing Capacity of Soils
This comprehensive study investigated stone columns as a sustainable solution for enhancing
the bearing capacity of soils. Experimental and numerical results are compared, leading to
reasonably good matches. For more information, the reader is referred to article number 17.
2.18 Genetic Algorithms for the Prediction of Soil Behavior
Genetic algorithms and hybrid genetic algorithms with Tabu search were investigated in this
article to simplify the identification of soil mechanical parameters (shear modulus and friction
angle). The authors conclude that the hybrid genetic algorithm enhanced with the Tabu search
method indeed accelerated the convergence of the algorithm.
2.19 Valorization of Local Materials in Construction
The ideas for the reduction of energy consumption through utilizing local materials in
construction are proposed in the last article. Facing the world economic crisis, it is natural to
search for efficient solutions in construction. The thermal comfort of buildings can be enhanced
using local materials, leading to savings in energy, as article 19 explains.
3 Conclusion
The articles creating this year’s issue covered many topics of civil, structural, and geotechnical
engineering. All the manuscripts have been peer-reviewed in the double-blind peer review
process. Subsequently, they were corrected by the authors, proofread, and re-evaluated, which
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SSP - JOURNAL OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Vol. 17, Issue 1, 2022
has increased the scientific quality of the 2022 issue. Trends in construction, modern design
approaches, and future technologies are discussed, and many questions are raised, crucial for
the future evolution of the construction industry.
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