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        <title>Frontiers in Built Environment | New and Recent Articles</title>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/built-environment</link>
        <description>RSS Feed for Frontiers in Built Environment | New and Recent Articles</description>
        <language>en-us</language>
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        <pubDate>2026-10-04T15:17:47.903+00:00</pubDate>
        <ttl>60</ttl>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1979851</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1979851</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Effect of air permeability at the bottom on rainfall infiltration]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-02T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wenjing Tian</author><author>Xuexin Zheng</author><author>Herman Peiffer</author><author>Jian Cen</author><author>Benny Malengier</author><author>Wei Zheng</author><author>Huibin Song</author><author>Yutian Zuo</author>
        <description><![CDATA[In geotechnical engineering, the permeability of air through soil has been recognized as a factor influencing the dynamics of subsurface water pressure, thereby playing a role in determining the stress levels experienced by the soil. This study employed the finite element method to evaluate the rainfall infiltration process, taking into account various air permeability boundary conditions, including air ventilation, air sealing, and quantified air permeability. The research also explored the relationship between boundary air permeability and infiltration capability, pore pressure, and saturation distribution. Two comparative analyses under ventilation and air sealing conditions were conducted using GeoStudio software to verify the validity of the numerical calculations, and errors consistently remained below 30%. The artificial rainfall simulation tests and automatic data acquisition were conducted under two distinct conditions: ventilation and air sealing. The results showed that a decrease in boundary air permeability had a pronounced effect on infiltration. The relationship between boundary air permeability and infiltration capability exhibited a logarithmic pattern. Moreover, lower boundary permeability values were directly correlated with increased pore air pressure during the rainfall infiltration process, resulting in a decelerated advancement of the wetting front. When comparing the test data under ventilation and air-sealing conditions, it was observed that air sealing restricted air escape, hindering rainwater infiltration and significantly reducing the infiltration rate. This also led to a gradual transformation of the saturated zone within the slope.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1915491</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1915491</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A systematic review to support the development of social technologies for housing design and construction in Rural Amazonia]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Systematic Review</category>
        <author>Luciane Cleonice Durante</author><author>Ivan Julio Apolonio Callejas</author><author>Diogo Marcelo Delben Ferreira de Lima</author><author>Patrick Ricardo Almada</author><author>Karyna de Andrade Carvalho Rosseti</author><author>Giseli Gomes Dalla-Nora</author><author>Onélia Carmem Rossetto</author><author>Diego Pierotti Procópio</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Housing conditions are important indicators of quality of life and rural development. In the Rural Amazon, housing is shaped by environmental conditions, local livelihoods, resource availability, and traditional construction knowledge. This study investigates the predominant building envelope configurations, material systems, and construction techniques used in rural Amazonian dwellings and explores their potential contribution to the development of social technologies. A systematic literature review combined with content analysis was conducted using a corpus of 22 publications. The results indicate that stilt houses, floating dwellings, and other elevated housing systems are the predominant responses to seasonal flooding and high humidity conditions. Timber was identified as the principal construction material, while bamboo, palm thatch, wooden shingles, adobe, and soil-based materials were found in specific regional contexts. The persistence of these systems is influenced by environmental suitability, local resource availability, affordability, self-construction practices, and the transmission of traditional knowledge. The review also identified an ongoing replacement of vernacular materials by industrialized alternatives, particularly fiber-cement sheets, metal roofing, and masonry systems. The findings demonstrate that vernacular construction techniques provide a valuable foundation for the development of socially appropriate and environmentally responsive housing technologies. Improved timber components, bamboo-based systems, soil-cement materials, and decentralized sanitation solutions illustrate how local knowledge can be combined with technical innovation to improve housing conditions. The study highlights the importance of integrating vernacular practices, community participation, and infrastructure improvements into future housing policies and rural development strategies in the Amazon.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1916525</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1916525</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Daylight performance of post-disaster container housing: a comparative study of alternative spatial configurations]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-10-01T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Feride Şener Yılmaz</author><author>Melody Safarkhani</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Post-disaster container housing provides rapid temporary accommodation between emergency sheltering and permanent reconstruction. The spatial configuration of post-disaster settlements shapes spatial comfort, the provision and accessibility of communal open spaces, and overall livability. It also influences indoor environmental quality, particularly the availability and distribution of daylight within housing units. This study compares the daylight performance of seven alternative spatial configurations developed according to spatial organization principles and relevant planning guidelines for post-disaster container housing in Istanbul, Türkiye. The configurations were grouped into three categories. The linear category included orthogonal grid, staggered, and diagonal arrangements. The enclosed courtyard cluster category included one sixteen-unit cluster, two eight-unit clusters, and four four-unit clusters. The open courtyard cluster category was represented by a pinwheel arrangement. Climate-based daylight simulations were conducted under identical conditions using a standardized container unit comprising a living room, bedroom, and bathroom. Daylight performance was analyzed through functional zones, including the living room and bedroom areas, using spatial daylight autonomy (sDA), useful daylight illuminance (UDI), annual sunlight exposure (ASE), mean illuminance and spatial disturbing glare (sDG) to assess visual comfort and glare risk. The results indicate that (1) all configurations achieved high daylight availability, while clearer differences emerged in excessive illuminance, direct sunlight exposure, and glare; (2) the sixteen-unit enclosed courtyard cluster provided the most balanced outcome by combining useful daylight and comparatively controlled glare with substantial, directly accessible communal open space; and (3) differences in daylight performance reflected the combined variation in glazed façade orientation, unit arrangement, courtyard enclosure, and community subdivision.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1978290</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1978290</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Reduced-parameter damage detection in cantilever beams using magnetoelastically measured bending frequencies]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-30T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Georgios Samourgkanidis</author>
        <description><![CDATA[This study presents an approximately material-invariant framework for vibration-based damage detection in cracked cantilever beams using normalized modal frequencies and magnetoelastic vibration sensing. A finite element formulation combined with fracture mechanics theory was developed to model stiffness degradation caused by transverse cracks and implemented in MATLAB to evaluate the first eight bending modes under varying crack locations, crack depths, and material properties. The influence of Young’s modulus, mass density, and Poisson’s ratio on both the natural frequencies (NFs) and normalized frequency ratios (NFRs) was systematically investigated. The results demonstrate that the absolute natural frequencies are strongly governed by stiffness and inertia effects, whereas the normalization procedure substantially suppresses the dominant dependence on Young’s modulus and mass density, yielding NFRs that remain nearly invariant across different engineering materials. In contrast, Poisson’s ratio retains a weaker but systematic influence on the normalized response. Experimental validation was performed using Al 6063, Al 7075, and AISI 1018 cantilever beams instrumented with magnetoelastic sensors for contactless signal detection of modal frequencies. Excellent agreement was obtained between the numerical and experimental results, with deviations below approximately 1.5% for the natural frequencies and below 0.5% for the averaged NFRs. The findings confirm that the proposed normalization framework preserves sensitivity to structural damage while significantly reducing material-dependent scaling effects. In addition, the study demonstrates the effectiveness of magnetoelastic sensing as a contactless signal detection technique for vibration-based structural health monitoring applications.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1971400</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1971400</link>
        <title><![CDATA[An improved mapping adaptation method from three-dimensional non-solid geological information models to numerical computational models]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Ziyu Tao</author><author>Zhen Liu</author><author>Cuiying Zhou</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Three-dimensional (3D) geological information models and numerical computational models differ substantially in their representation objectives, geometric organization, parameter systems, and spatial scales, which makes direct conversion between the two difficult. This study proposes a mapping-adaptation framework for transforming surface- or interface-based non-solid geological information models into geomechanical numerical computational models. Four principal mismatch types are identified, including geometric representation, structural discretization, parameter and solution-condition inheritance, and spatial extent. Correspondingly, geometric solidification, local structural adaptation, parameter and solution-condition mapping, and engineering-oriented computational-domain adaptation are integrated into a continuous mapping procedure linking the geological information model, geometric solid model, volumetric mesh model, and numerical computational model. In the case study, Delaunay triangulation was used to subdivide the original borehole distribution and introduce 50 virtual boreholes as supplementary geological constraints. The mean stratigraphic-sequence similarity increased from 0.483 to 0.553, while the mean depth-discretized stratigraphic consistency rate increased from 0.233 to 0.440 after virtual-borehole augmentation. The reconstructed stratigraphic surfaces were subsequently converted into closed geometric solids, discretized into volumetric meshes, and assigned corresponding material parameters, constitutive relationships, boundary conditions, and loading conditions. The resulting model was then used to complete the numerical calculation workflow. The case study demonstrates the continuity and numerical executability of the proposed geological-to-numerical mapping framework. In the present case, the computational-domain adaptation component is included as a framework capability rather than quantitatively evaluated through domain-size sensitivity analysis. The numerical results are used to verify workflow feasibility rather than the predictive accuracy of a specific engineering response.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1913509</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1913509</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Machine-learning-based prediction of pipe-sticking events in petroleum drilling operations using domain-informed features and class-balanced ensembles]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-29T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>R. Harishwaran</author><author>Aslam Abdullah M.</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Pipe sticking is a critical drilling failure that can increase the non-productive time, operational risk, and well construction costs. Reliable and early identification of pipe-sticking conditions is therefore important for improving drilling decision support while reducing the likelihood of severe downhole incidents. In this study, we developed and evaluated a machine-learning framework for binary classification of pipe-sticking events using a drilling dataset containing 297 observations and 13 original drilling-related variables. Domain-informed feature engineering was used to construct additional ratio, difference, and interaction variables representing the relationships among the geometric, density, friction, and torque-related parameters. Class imbalance was addressed using a custom minority-class interpolation procedure, followed by mutual-information-based feature selection. Eleven supervised machine-learning classifiers were then evaluated using stratified cross-validation, and the leading models were optimised using grid-search hyperparameter tuning before being combined using soft voting. The gradient boosting classifier achieved an accuracy of 92.09%, precision of 95.93%, recall of 91.54%, F1-score of 93.62%, and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) of 96.60%. The soft-voting ensemble achieved an accuracy of 92.34% and ROC-AUC of 97.83%. Feature-importance analysis was used to identify the annular clearance, density, friction, and torque-related variables among the dominant predictors. However, the limited number of confirmed sticking events and the single-source dataset constrain the generalisability of the results. The proposed framework therefore represents a preliminary data-driven baseline for pipe-sticking classification rather than a field-validated deployment system.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1884489</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1884489</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Development and characterization of H2O2-aerated concrete: effect of NaOH and curing regime on porosity and mechanical performance]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>L. Saranya</author><author>T. Meena</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Achieving a lightweight aerated concrete with uniform pore structure while maintaining adequate mechanical strength remains one of the major challenges in the development of aerated blocks. This study investigates the combined influence of binder composition, H2O2-based aeration, NaOH incorporation, and curing regime on pore characteristics and strength development of aerated concrete. The measured properties are used for indicative comparison with classification specified in IS 2185 (Part 3): 1984. An aerated mix matrix was developed using ordinary Portland cement (OPC) and fly ash as binary binders, 30% concentrated hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) as an aerating agent, and 4 mol/L sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution incorporated to investigate its influence on the aeration behavior and fly ash reactivity. Five binder ratios and four mixes were investigated under three curing regimes: oven curing, autoclave curing, and precuring, followed by autoclave curing. The mixes achieved dry densities ranging from 734 kg/m3 to 1,568 kg/m3 and compressive strengths of 3.81–11.22 MPa. Among the investigated mixtures, the optimum mix B2M3 (ii), containing 3% H2O2 and 2% NaOH under precuring followed by autoclave curing, exhibited a favorable balance between the characteristics and mechanical performance. Multiscale characterization was carried out: mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) revealed the open and interconnected porosity of 16.79%, indicating a capillary pore accessible to mercury intrusion. X-ray computed tomography (CT) confirmed the uniform macropore distribution with total porosity ranging between 5.59% and 8.23% across the mixes. The microstructural analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), and field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (FESEM-EDX) identified the formation of amorphous to semi-crystalline calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) gel and tobermorite with needle-like morphology. These observations were associated with improved pore uniformity and mechanical performance under the curing conditions investigated. The experimental findings indicate that the incorporation of NaOH improved the performance of aerated concrete by enhancing the reactivity of the fly ash particles and promoting prolonged and stable expansion, resulting in a more uniform and refined pore structure.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1953330</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1953330</link>
        <title><![CDATA[The food-system carbon data layer: integrating automated life-cycle-assessment digital twins into urban digital twins]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Hypothesis and Theory</category>
        <author>Mohd Kamil Vakil</author><author>Mohamed Yusuf Alkoheji</author><author>Shahrukh Ahmad</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Urban digital twins for climate-responsive planning routinely model energy consumption, mobility emissions and thermal comfort at city scale, yet food-system greenhouse gas emissions, between roughly one-quarter and one-third of global anthropogenic emissions depending on accounting boundary, remain absent from urban carbon data infrastructure and municipal low-carbon planning. A maturing class of AI-driven automated life cycle assessment platforms now estimates product-level carbon footprints for tens of thousands of food products at supply-chain resolution, several of which providers describe as digital twins updating as primary supplier data changes. A documented scan and individual screening of the intersecting literature identifies adjacent contributions, including an urban digital twin framework for consumption-based neighbourhood carbon footprints, but no framework that formalizes automated food-system life cycle assessment twins as a structured, uncertainty-aware carbon data layer with an explicit boundary crosswalk and uncertainty propagation. This paper proposes the Food-System Carbon Data Layer, a conceptual architecture positioning these twins as interoperable inputs to human-centered urban digital twin platforms. We advance a two-part hypothesis: that the integration is analytically feasible on publicly available life cycle inventory data, and that its operational viability is governance-dependent under emerging regulatory instruments. The framework addresses four challenges: boundary alignment between cradle-to-gate product carbon footprint models and urban metabolism accounting; uncertainty propagation from inventory data-gap proxies and machine learning classifiers through to city-scale dashboards, preserving producer-level variance rather than collapsing it into ordinal grades; semantic harmonization across the vocabularies of procurement records, supplier bills of materials and inventory databases; and human-centered representation for planners, procurement officers and public health authorities with heterogeneous data literacy. Four worked urban use cases on publicly available inventory data illustrate the framework, and we specify the interoperability conditions for viable integration. The use cases establish analytical feasibility, meaning the architecture is specifiable and computable on open data; they are not an empirical validation against a deployed urban digital twin, which we identify as the next required step. H1 is stated with four checkable success criteria, two carrying declared numerical thresholds, and H2 with the panel that would test it.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1913678</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1913678</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Experimental investigation on mechanical and durability properties of M30 concrete with HDPE plastic waste as partial coarse aggregate replacement]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-28T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>R. Karthigeyan</author><author>A. Punitha Kumar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The rapid increase in accumulation of plastic waste created a major environmental challenge due to the non-biodegradable nature of plastics. One of the most commonly used plastics among them is the High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), used for bottles, containers and plastic packaging, which has generated a huge amount of waste. This research works towards the goal of discovering the possibility of using HDPE plastic waste as a replacement for coarse aggregate to the extent of about 50%, in M30 grade concrete. Irregularly shredded HDPE waste with particle sizes between 5 and 10 mm was chosen as its replacement level (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% by volume of coarse aggregate). The mechanical properties like compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural were systematically evaluated to assess optimum percentage of HDPE concrete. The optimum replacement level has been subjected to water absorption, acid resistance and sulphate resistance tests as well. According to experimental results, the addition of a larger amount of HDPE affected the strength of the concrete. However, in all the mixes, 10% of the HDPE was replaced was identified optimum. The present study concludes that the use of HDPE plastic waste as a partial replacement of coarse aggregate within a limit is a sustainable and efficient approach for eco-friendly concrete production.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1928301</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1928301</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mechanisms of crack evolution and shear strength degradation in biopolymer-stabilized slurry soils under Dry–Wet cycling]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Dingyu Ni</author><author>Norinah Abd. Rahman</author><author>Siti Fatin Mohd. Razali</author><author>Wenhao Wu</author><author>Zhenqi Weng</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Biopolymers are environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional soil stabilizers, yet the response of stabilized slurry soils to repeated dry–wet cycling, particularly crack evolution and associated strength degradation, remains insufficiently understood. To address this gap, this study evaluated slurry soils treated with xanthan gum (XG), sodium alginate (SA), and cationic guar gum (CGG) using mass loss measurements, quantitative crack analysis, direct shear tests, and scanning electron microscopy. Among the three biopolymers, XG exhibited the best performance at a dosage of 1.5%. After eight cycles, XG-treated soil exhibited a mass loss of 1.62%, 79.3% lower than that of untreated soil, while maintaining a crack ratio below 1.9% and an average crack width of 0.222 mm. It also retained approximately 70% of its initial shear strength, compared with 65% for CGG, 57% for SA, and 53% for untreated soil. Strength degradation was primarily associated with cohesion loss and progressive crack development. Microstructural observations showed that XG formed a relatively continuous polymer network that enhanced particle bonding and structural integrity, whereas CGG produced localized bonding and SA exhibited a less continuous structure. Overall, these results identify XG as the most effective biopolymer investigated and demonstrate its potential for improving the long-term durability of slurry soils under cyclic moisture conditions.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1869553</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1869553</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Combined effects of acoustics and indoor air quality on calculation performance: a laboratory experiment and a lab-dilemma investigation]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-25T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Matteo Pellegatti</author><author>Chiara Visentin</author><author>Simone Torresin</author><author>Francesco Babich</author><author>Nicola Prodi</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Ensuring high Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in educational settings is crucial for Students performance. Within IEQ, the combined effects of different domains are highly relevant, yet the interaction between acoustics and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) requires further exploration. While laboratory studies allow precise environmental control, their representativeness of a real classroom is often unclear due to the inability to recreate all real-world stimuli. Therefore, this study examines the combined effects of acoustics and IAQ on calculation tasks, comparing results when experiments are performed in a laboratory versus real classrooms with the same participants. Nearly 200 students participated in the laboratory experiment, which included five auditory conditions: quiet, playground noise, birdsongs, and mechanical ventilation at 160 L/s and 200 L/s. A split plot design was employed where half of the students were exposed to good IAQ while the remaining experienced poorer IAQ. Results revealed main effects only for listening conditions, heavily mediated by individual noise sensitivity. These findings partially contradict previous classroom results. A comparison between settings indicates pupils were generally faster in the laboratory. Interestingly, the most favourable condition was mechanical ventilation in the lab, but playground noise in the classroom. These results illustrate the lab-dilemma regarding discrepancies between controlled and real-world conditions. While precise causes were not definitively identified, they are hypothesised to stem from individual characteristics, highlighting a strong need for better characterisation of student-related aspects in future studies.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1970188</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1970188</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Rethinking geohazard monitoring under extreme weather: a call for a coupled weather–terrain framework]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Perspective</category>
        <author>Wenpei Wang</author><author>Mingzhi Zhang</author><author>Nan Zhang</author><author>Chunli Chen</author>
        <description><![CDATA[As extreme weather events become increasingly recurrent under a non-stationary climate, catastrophic geohazards are emerging beyond historically recognized hotspots and established monitoring footprints. Yet extreme rainfall is not spatially uniform: its intensity, duration, and localization can be substantially modulated by terrain through orographic lifting, moisture convergence, and topographic controls on atmospheric flow. This weather–terrain coupling effect can generate localized extreme rainfall and create hydro-mechanical forcing that may trigger landslides, debris flows, and cascading hazards even in areas historically classified as relatively stable. Current warning strategies, largely calibrated against historical rainfall–hazard records at monitored sites, have limited capacity to anticipate such emerging hazards in poorly instrumented or previously unaffected terrain. By treating meteorological forcing and terrain susceptibility as largely separate components, these approaches may overlook the spatially heterogeneous amplification of extreme rainfall by topography, leaving critical blind spots in regional geohazard monitoring. Here, the proposed framework is intended primarily for hydro-meteorologically triggered slope failure hazards, including landslides, flow slides, debris flows, and related cascading impacts.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1930715</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1930715</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Correction: Enhancing safety and accessibility at Karachi’s bus stops: investigating the role of urban design, crime prevention, and public transport]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-24T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Correction</category>
        <author>Asifa Iqbal</author><author>Humaira Nazir</author><author>Ammad Waheed Qazi</author>
        <description></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1952676</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1952676</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Selected properties and life cycle assessment of mortars incorporating municipal solid waste bottom ash and silica fume for sustainable construction]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-23T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Fouadi AlZaatiti</author><author>AbdulKader El-Mir</author><author>Firas Barraj</author><author>Youmn Al Rawi</author><author>Rayan Najjar</author><author>Mohamad Ezzedine El Dandachy</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The use of municipal solid waste bottom ash (MSWBA) as a sustainable alternative construction material is an effective approach to reduce natural resource depletion and advance circular economy concepts. The combined effects of MSWBA as a partial replacement of natural fine aggregate and silica fume (SF) as a supplementary cementitious material on the engineering performance and environmental sustainability of mortar were investigated in this study. Mortar mixtures were prepared with different binder content (389.6–524.9 kg/m3), water to binder (w/b) ratio (0.526–0.663), MSWBA replacement level (60%–90%) and silica fume content (2%–8%). Ten mortar mixtures were prepared, including one control and nine modified mixtures. Tests for workability, setting time, compressive strength, flexural strength, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), unit weight and water absorption were carried out for fresh and hardened properties evaluation. Correlation analyses, contour analysis and life cycle assessment (LCA) were also performed. The results showed that optimizing the w/b ratio produced satisfactory workability for all the mixtures. Although the early-age mechanical performance was reduced with high MSWBA replacement, mixtures with higher binder contents and silica fume had higher strength, density and durability. Among the MSWBA-modified mixtures, T4, T7, and T8 exhibited the most favorable overall combination of mechanical strength, UPV, and water-absorption performance. These optimized mixtures achieved comparatively high compressive and flexural strengths and UPV while maintaining relatively low water absorption, suggesting that the incorporation of silica fume helped mitigate the adverse effects associated with the porous nature of MSWBA. Correlation and contour analyses indicated that lower w/b ratios, particularly approximately 0.53–0.55, were associated with more favorable compressive-strength performance within the investigated mixture range. Results of the environmental assessment showed that the replacement of natural sand by MSWBA reduced the cradle-to-gate embodied carbon by up to 21.0%. This suggests the potential of optimized MSWBA–SF mortars to produce sustainable and low-carbon cementitious materials without compromising engineering performance.]]></description>
      </item><item>
        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1894212</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1894212</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Real-time bus arrival prediction and bus bunching prevention using a multi-agent LSTM approach]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Seema Rawat</author><author>Alyona Abaidullina</author><author>Dilnaz Alimbayeva</author><author>Deepak Kumar</author><author>Praveen Kumar</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionBus bunching is a major challenge in urban public transportation because it reduces operational efficiency and increases passenger waiting times. Although transit agencies increasingly use real-time passenger information (RTPI) systems, existing predictive approaches often face limitations caused by sparse historical GPS data, particularly when data are collected at long polling intervals such as 10 minutes. In addition, conventional reactive control strategies frequently depend on a central dispatcher. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a scalable, proactive transit-control framework that integrates deep learning with cooperative multi-agent systems (MASs).MethodsThe proposed framework uses Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Service Interface for Real-time Information (SIRI) data and introduces a forward-looking target-imputation mechanism to address data sparsity while retaining more than 90% of the original telemetry. A long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network with categorical route embeddings was developed to simultaneously predict estimated times of arrival (ETAs) at stops across New York City’s 20 highest-frequency bus routes. The predictive model was then embedded directly into autonomous bus agents within an MAS simulation. Through localized communication, the agents could cooperatively implement decentralized stop-skipping, referred to as “EXPRESS” mode, without relying on a central dispatcher. The operational effectiveness of the framework was evaluated through 120-step simulations on routes B82 and Bx9.ResultsThe LSTM model achieved an overall mean absolute error (MAE) of 2.02 minutes, representing a 28.5% improvement over historical baseline models. The forward-looking imputation mechanism preserved more than 90% of the raw telemetry, demonstrating its effectiveness in mitigating data sparsity. In the MAS simulations, complete bus-bunching collapse, defined as a headway gap approaching zero, did not occur. EXPRESS mode was activated during 19.2% of simulation steps on route B82 and 25.8% on route Bx9. Following every intervention, bus headways recovered above the predefined safe threshold.DiscussionThe findings demonstrate that combining local deep-learning-based ETA prediction with cooperative multi-agent control can provide an effective decentralized solution to bus bunching. The proposed approach enables autonomous buses to anticipate operational disruptions and coordinate corrective actions without human intervention or centralized dispatching. Its low ETA prediction error and consistent recovery of safe headways indicate that the framework can improve both predictive accuracy and operational stability. More broadly, the study provides a scalable example of how decentralized artificial intelligence and multi-agent coordination could support proactive transit management and contribute to the development of smart-city transportation systems.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1869061</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1869061</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Exploring operational barriers and enabling conditions for green financing in the South African construction industry]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Linda Malifete</author><author>Samuel Adekunle</author><author>Clinton Aigbavboa</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Green financing has emerged as an important mechanism for supporting environmentally sustainable construction by facilitating investment in projects that promote resource efficiency, climate resilience, and reduced environmental impacts. Despite growing policy attention, its effective utilisation within the South African construction industry remains constrained by a range of operational barriers. This study explores construction professionals’ perceptions of the operational barriers and enabling conditions associated with the utilisation of green financing for sustainable construction. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted among 44 construction professionals from the public and private sectors in South Africa. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, with Mean Item Scores and standard deviations used to rank respondents’ perceptions of the identified barriers and enabling conditions. Respondents perceived limited knowledge of green products and sustainable construction practices, inadequate sustainability-related education and training, and the high cost of green materials as the most significant operational barriers. The highest-ranked enabling conditions were long-term investment planning, increased awareness of green financing, the development of green financial products, and stronger collaboration among industry stakeholders. Based on these findings and the theoretical perspectives underpinning the study, a conceptual framework is proposed to synthesise the operational barriers and enabling conditions that may influence organisations’ preparedness to engage with green financing for sustainable construction. The study contributes to the sustainable finance and construction management literature by providing empirical evidence from the South African construction industry and advancing understanding of the organisational conditions associated with engagement with green financing. It also offers practical insights for strengthening organisational capability, knowledge development, institutional collaboration, and financial planning to support environmentally sustainable construction. The proposed framework provides a foundation for future research to empirically evaluate the conceptual relationships advanced in this study.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1952751</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1952751</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Mechanical strength prediction of steel fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete: model accuracy and key influencing parameters]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Wafaa Abbas Hasan</author><author>Alaa Jaleel Naji</author><author>Ali Jaafar Dakhil</author><author>Wael Hamd</author><author>Firas Barraj</author><author>Ali Jahami</author>
        <description><![CDATA[IntroductionRecycled coarse aggregate (RCA) can reduce natural-resource consumption and construction-waste disposal. However, adhered mortar, high porosity, and weak interfacial transition zones may impair the mechanical performance of recycled aggregate concrete. Steel fibers can partially offset these deficiencies by improving crack control and post-cracking resistance. This study evaluates the applicability of existing empirical equations for predicting the mechanical properties of steel fiber-reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (SFRAC).MethodsAn experimental database was compiled from published studies covering the compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths of SFRAC. The predictive performance of the selected equations was evaluated using the mean experimental-to-predicted (Exp./Pred.) strength ratio, standard deviation, coefficient of variation, mean absolute percentage error, root mean square error, parity plots, and prediction-error-band distributions. The effects of the RCA replacement level and fiber reinforcement index (RI) on prediction accuracy were also examined.ResultsThe compressive-strength equations exhibited the highest overall predictive accuracy. The model proposed by Ezeldin et al. produced the lowest prediction error, whereas the model of Ou et al. exhibited the lowest scatter. For splitting tensile strength, the Thomas and Ramaswamy equation provided the most balanced predictions. The Swamy and Mangat equation demonstrated the best performance for flexural strength. Prediction accuracy generally declined for tensile-dominated properties and was strongly influenced by full RCA replacement and RI.Discussion The results indicate that equations developed for conventional steel fiber-reinforced concrete do not consistently account for the effects of RCA on strength development and fiber contribution. Accordingly, RCA-sensitive modifications incorporating aggregate replacement level and fiber reinforcement characteristics are required before these equations can be reliably applied to SFRAC mixtures.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1967966</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1967966</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Preliminary analysis of response spectra, energy spectra, and energy-input directionality for the 2026 Kumamoto earthquake]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-22T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Brief Research Report</category>
        <author>Kenji Fujii</author>
        <description><![CDATA[The strong-motion record observed at K-NET Yatsushiro (KMM012) during the 2026 Kumamoto Earthquake exhibits remarkable characteristics in the long-period range. This study investigates the structural response and energy-input characteristics of KMM012 through bidirectional linear response analysis and compares them with those of strong-motion records from the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) and 2016 Kumamoto earthquakes. Response spectra, cumulative input energy spectra, and maximum momentary input energy spectra are evaluated. The directionality of cumulative and momentary energy input is further examined using the principal axes of the cumulative input energy spectrum. The response spectral values of KMM012 exceed those of the previous records in the long-period range. For a damping ratio of 0.05, the pseudo-acceleration remains above 5.0 m/s2 while the displacement reaches approximately 1.3 m. The cumulative input energy spectrum reaches a maximum value of 3.59 m/s at T = 3.14 s, while the maximum momentary input energy spectrum reaches 1.95 m/s at T = 2.50 s, indicating large energy input to structures with relatively long natural periods. Strong directionality is also observed: at T = 3.14 s, the ratio of the minor-to major-axis cumulative input energy spectra is 0.222, corresponding to an energy ratio of approximately 0.2222 ≈ 0.049. In the period range where the energy input is large, the major-axis direction of cumulative input energy is predominantly southeast to east-southeast, while the displacement increments associated with the maximum momentary input energy are concentrated predominantly in the southeast direction. These findings demonstrate that KMM012 can impose large and strongly directional energy demands on long-period structures.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1906586</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1906586</link>
        <title><![CDATA[A novel hybrid technique for lateral pressure reduction on rigid retaining walls integrating EPS cushion and lightweight foam bead backfill]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Original Research</category>
        <author>Kaixiang Huang</author><author>Jianyu Huang</author><author>Wenqiang Zheng</author><author>Zhu Liang</author><author>Guochao Liu</author><author>Hanqing Sun</author><author>Duke Cai</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Despite extensive studies on EPS cushions or lightweight backfill separately for reducing lateral earth pressure on retaining walls, limited research has addressed the combined application of both techniques in a single wall system. The interaction mechanisms and potential combination between an EPS cushion and EPS bead lightweight fill remain largely unexplored, particularly for high-plasticity clay backfills under varying surcharge loads. This study therefore investigates the lateral earth pressure distribution and load reduction performance of retaining walls incorporating both an EPS cushion layer and EPS bead lightweight fill. Laboratory model tests were conducted using a custom-built apparatus with clayey soil collected from a gravity retaining wall site in Guangzhou. Four cushion thicknesses (0–6 cm), three foam contents (0.1%–0.3%), and four surcharge load stages were examined. Two indices, load reduction value and load reduction rate, were introduced to quantify pressure relief efficiency. The results show that increasing cushion thickness from 2 cm to 6 cm raises the reduction rate from 12% to 55%, while adding 0.2% foam roughly doubles the reduction value compared to 0.1% foam. The integrated system shows enhanced performance compared with either technique applied alone: the optimal combination (4 cm cushion with 0.2% foam) reduces base lateral pressure by 50%–60% under the highest load, outperforming either technique alone. A load-dependent dominance shift is observed: foam governs under low loads, while cushion thickness dominates under high loads. Diminishing returns occur beyond 4 cm cushion thickness and 0.2% foam content. These findings fill the research gap by demonstrating the enhanced performance of the integrated system and providing optimal design ranges for cost-effective pressure reduction.]]></description>
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        <guid isPermaLink="true">https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1903555</guid>
        <link>https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fbuil.2026.1903555</link>
        <title><![CDATA[Performance, sustainability, and machine learning of UHPC with coarse aggregates: a critical review]]></title>
        <pubdate>2026-09-18T00:00:00Z</pubdate>
        <category>Review</category>
        <author>S. K. Madhumitha</author><author>A. Abdul Rahim</author>
        <description><![CDATA[Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) is an advanced cementitious material characterized by its exceptional mechanical strength, durability, and resistance to extreme loading conditions. However, the incorporation of coarse aggregates in UHPC remains an active area of research because of the trade-offs among cost-effectiveness, sustainability, and mechanical performance. This systematic review critically evaluates the comparative performance of UHPC with and without coarse aggregates, while examining the application of emerging machine learning (ML) techniques for performance prediction and mix design optimization. The review synthesizes findings from 63 peer-reviewed studies selected through a PRISMA-based screening process from an initial pool of approximately 150 publications published between 2000 and 2026. The reviewed studies collectively indicate that the incorporation of coarse aggregates enhances the economic feasibility and environmental sustainability through reduced cement consumption, lower autogenous shrinkage, and enhanced dimensional stability, while conventional aggregate-free UHPC generally provides superior tensile strength, crack resistance, and matrix homogeneity owing to improved fibre dispersion and a stronger interfacial microstructure. Machine learning methods, particularly Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Support Vector Machines (SVM), have demonstrated considerable potential for predicting mechanical properties and supporting durability- and sustainability-oriented performance optimization. Machine learning applications are emerging in UHPC research, particularly for performance prediction and mix-design optimization; however, their broader adoption remains limited by small and heterogeneous datasets, inconsistent validation procedures, and insufficient integration of life-cycle assessment parameters. The major research gaps include physics-informed ML methods, optimization of aggregate gradation to enhance interfacial transition zone (ITZ) behaviour, and systematic long-term durability assessment under diverse environmental conditions. Based on these findings, a future research roadmap is proposed to support the development of sustainable, cost-effective, and intelligent UHPC systems. Unlike previous UHPC review articles that primarily focus on constituent materials, mechanical performance, or durability, this review integrates coarse aggregate incorporation, sustainability assessment, interfacial transition zone (ITZ) behaviour, and machine learning-based optimization within a single systematic framework, thereby providing an integrated roadmap for the development of sustainable and intelligent UHPC systems.]]></description>
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