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The purpose of this paper is to present integrated methodologies based on multilevel modelling concepts for finite element analysis (FEA) of reinforced concrete (RC) shell structures, with specific reference to account for the nonlinear behaviour of cracked concrete and the other associated features.

Geometric representation of the shell is enabled through multiple concrete layers. Composite characteristic of concrete is accounted by assigning different material properties to the layers. Steel reinforcement is smeared into selected concrete layers according to its position in the RC shell. The integrated model concurrently accounts for nonlinear effects due to tensile cracking, bond slip and nonlinear stress‐strain relation of concrete in compression. Smeared crack model having crack rotation capability is used to include the influence of tensile cracking of concrete. Propagation and change in direction of crack along thickness of shell with increase in load and deformation are traced using the layered geometry model. Relative movement between reinforcing steel and adjacent concrete is modelled using a compatible bond‐slip model validated earlier by the authors. Nonlinear iterative solution technique with imposed displacement in incremental form is adopted so that structures with local instabilities or strain softening can also be analysed.

Proposed methodologies are validated by evaluating ultimate strength of two RC shell structures. Nonlinear response of McNeice slab is found to compare well with that of experiment available in literature. Then, a RC cooling tower is analysed for factored wind loads to study its behaviour near ultimate load. Numerical validation demonstrates efficacy and usefullness of the proposed methodologies for nonlinear FEA of RC shell structures.

The present paper integrates critical methodologies used for behaviour modelling of concrete and reinforcement with the physical interaction among them. The study is unique by considering interaction of tensile cracking and bond‐slip which are the main contributors to nonlinearity in the nonlinear response of RC shell structures. Further, industrial application of the proposed modelling strategy is demonstrated by analysing a RC cooling tower shell for its nonlinear response. It is observed that the proposed methodologies in the integrated manner are unique and provide stability in nonlinear analysis of RC shell structures.

With numerous and ambiguous sets of information and often conflicting requirements, construction management is a complex process involving much uncertainty. Decision makers may be challenged with satisfying multiple criteria using vague information. Fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making (FMCDM) provides an innovative approach for addressing complex problems featuring diverse decision makers’ interests, conflicting objectives and numerous but uncertain bits of information. FMCDM has therefore been widely applied in construction management. With the increase in information complexity, extensions of fuzzy set (FS) theory have been generated and adopted to improve its capacity to address this complexity. Examples include hesitant FSs (HFSs), intuitionistic FSs (IFSs) and type-2 FSs (T2FSs). This chapter introduces commonly used FMCDM methods, examines their applications in construction management and discusses trends in future research and application. The chapter first introduces the MCDM process as well as FS theory and its three main extensions, namely, HFSs, IFSs and T2FSs. The chapter then explores the linkage between FS theory and its extensions and MCDM approaches. In total, 17 FMCDM methods are reviewed and two FMCDM methods (i.e. T2FS-TOPSIS and T2FS-PROMETHEE) are further improved based on the literature. These 19 FMCDM methods with their corresponding applications in construction management are discussed in a systematic manner. This review and development of FS theory and its extensions should help both researchers and practitioners better understand and handle information uncertainty in complex decision problems.

The purpose of this paper is to attempt the buckling analysis of a laminated composite skew plate using the C₀ finite element (FE) model based on higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) in conjunction with minimax probability machine regression (MPMR) and multivariate adaptive regression spline (MARS).

HSDT considers the third-order variation of in-plane displacements which eliminates the use of shear correction factor owing to realistic parabolic transverse shear stresses across the thickness coordinate. At the top and bottom of the plate, zero transverse shear stress condition is imposed. C₀ FE model based on HSDT is developed and coded in formula translation (FORTRAN). FE model is validated and found efficient to create new results. MPMR and MARS models are coded in MATLAB. Using skew angle (α), stacking sequence (Ai) and buckling strength (Y) as input parameters, a regression problem is formulated using MPMR and MARS to predict the buckling strength of laminated composite skew plates.

The results of the MPMR and MARS models are in good agreement with the FE model result. MPMR is a better tool than MARS to analyze the buckling problem.

The present work considers the linear behavior of the laminated composite skew plate.

To the authors’ best of knowledge, there is no work in the literature on the buckling analysis of a laminated composite skew plate using C₀ FE formulation based on third-order shear deformation theory in conjunction with MPMR and MARS. These machine-learning techniques increase efficiency, reduce the computational time and reduce the cost of analysis. Further, an equation is generated with the MARS model via which the buckling strength of the laminated composite skew plate can be predicted with ease and simplicity.

This paper aims to investigate the corrosion behaviour of carbon steel in the Mauritian atmosphere over a three-year period. Atmospheric corrosion is a serious problem in Mauritius.

Carbon steel samples were exposed outdoors at various sites. Mass loss analysis was performed to determine the corrosion behaviour of the metal over the exposure period. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman tests were performed to investigate the formation of the corrosion products on the carbon steel surface.

It was found that the corrosion loss at two of the sites considered did not vary clearly according to the bilogarithmic law. Time of wetness was found to be a main factor affecting atmospheric corrosion in Mauritius. The corrosivity of the atmosphere was found to lie between categories C3 and C4, according to ISO 9223.

The results can be of essential help to the construction industry, especially as steel buildings are becoming very common in Mauritius. Moreover, as Mauritius is a tropical island, the results obtained can be useful in other tropical islands.