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CONTENTS
Volume 60, Number 5, September 10 2026
 

Abstract
An insulated sandwich concrete wall with embedded columns (ISCW-EC) is proposed by incorporating horizontal reinforcements, tie bars, and cold-formed steel sections as embedded columns into a conventional insulated sandwich concrete wall. Eccentric compression tests were conducted on two full-scale ISCW-EC specimens to investigate their eccentric compression bearing capacity and failure mode. The results indicate that, as the applied load increased, concrete cracking occurred on the side away from the eccentric load application point, while the depth of the concrete compression zone decreased on the side close to the load application point. Eventually, the concrete in the compression zone was crushed, indicating that the failure of the ISCW-EC under eccentric loading was brittle. Forty six refined finite element models were established to conduct a multi-parameter analysis, in which the effects of horizontal reinforcement spacing, embedded column spacing, concrete strength, eccentricity, and steel wire diameter on the load-bearing capacity of the ISCW-EC were evaluated. The results show that horizontal reinforcement spacing has little effect on the load-bearing capacity. The load-bearing capacity increases with increasing concrete strength and steel wire diameter, whereas it decreases with increasing eccentricity and embedded column spacing. Finally, a formula for calculating the eccentric compression bearing capacity of the ISCW-EC is proposed.

Key Words
calculation formula; eccentric compression bearing capacity; eccentric compression tests; embedded column; insulated sandwich concrete composite wall

Address
Guowen Zhang:School of Civil Engineering, Shi Jiazhuang Tiedao University, Shi Jiazhuang, China

Xiaoshan Yao:School of Civil Engineering, Shi Jiazhuang Tiedao University, Shi Jiazhuang, China

Wentao Qiao:1)School of Civil Engineering, Shi Jiazhuang Tiedao University, Shi Jiazhuang, China
2)Key Laboratory of Roads and Railway Engineering Safety Control (Shijiazhuang Tiedao University),
Ministry of Education, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province ,050043, China

Wencheng Xiao:School of Civil Engineering, Shi Jiazhuang Tiedao University, Shi Jiazhuang, China

Jiawei Yuan:China Rail Way Huatie Engineering Design Group Co., Ltd, Beijing, China

Abstract
This study examines the impact of concrete infill and ring stiffeners on the fatigue performance and stress concentration behaviour of gusset plate joints in steel concrete composite structures. Fatigue critical composite gusset plate joints are increasingly applied in long span roof, canopy, spatial frame, and lattice tower systems, but the combined influence of concrete infilling, ring stiffener configuration, joint topology, hot spot stress concentration, and digital inspection planning remains insufficiently addressed. In this study, T, K, and X type steel concrete composite gusset plate joints were evaluated through an integrated experimental, numerical, and digital framework. The main variables included concrete infilling condition, internal and external ring stiffener arrangement, gusset thickness, joint topology, cyclic load range, hot spot stress response, Stress Concentration Factor, crack initiation, fatigue life, residual stiffness, and failure mode. Static reference testing, constant amplitude fatigue loading, Finite Element hot spot stress analysis, Building Information Modeling based joint classification, and Graph Neural Network based fatigue assessment were combined to connect mechanical behaviour with inspection prioritization and maintenance planning. The results show that concrete infilling clearly reduced stress concentration and improved fatigue resistance, while external ring stiffening provided an additional enhancement by redistributing local stress away from the critical gusset region. In K type joints, partial concrete filling combined with internal ring stiffening improved fatigue performance and delayed crack development. In X type joints, the combined use of internal and external ring stiffeners produced the most favourable fatigue response among the investigated configurations. Although these strengthening measures enhanced joint performance, fatigue damage remained mainly weld controlled, with cracking redistributed toward ring toes and secondary welded regions. The proposed framework offers a fatigue-oriented basis for joint design, hot spot stress verification, BIM linked inspection prioritization, and cautious graph-based fatigue classification in long span public use facilities. The findings provide guidance for improving fatigue resistant design and long-term structural reliability of composite lattice tower systems subjected to cyclic loading.

Key Words
BIM-linked graph neural network; concrete infilling; cyclic fatigue performance; hot-spot stress

Address
Shufang Li:College of Civil Engineering, Chongqing Vocational Institute of Engineering, Chongqing 402260, China

Jialing Li:Chongqing Youth Vocational & Technical College, Chongqing 401320, China

Omar J. AlKhatib:Architectural Engineering Department, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, UAE

Yasmin Khairy:Central Labs, King Khalid University, AlQura'a, P.O. Box 960, Abha, Saudi Arabia

Samia Elattar:Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering, College of Engineering, Princess Nourah bint
Abdulrahman University, P.O. Box 84428, Riyadh 11671, Saudi Arabia

José Escorcia-Gutierrez:Department of Computational Science and Electronics, Universidad de la Costa,
CUC, Barranquilla 080002, Colombia

Abstract
This study presents a machine learning framework for predicting the lateral-distortional buckling resistance of steel-concrete composite beams with optimised elliptically-based web openings. Current design codes, such as EN 1993-1-13, do not address perforated beams with vertical elliptical web openings while there is a growing demand for vertical ellipses as they overperform in several failure modes. To overcome this limitation, a high-fidelity numerical database comprising 360 finite element simulations was developed, incorporating material and geometric nonlinearities and validated against experimental results. An artificial neural network combined with particle swarm optimization was trained using eleven geometric and mechanical input parameters to estimate the lateral-distortional buckling resistance. The model achieved high accuracy and outperformed standard code-based predictions. To enhance engineering interpretability, SHapley Additive exPlanations were used to identify the most influential parameters. A user-accessible web-based tool was developed for practical applications. A reliability analysis based on Annex D of EN 1990 (2002) was performed to evaluate the proposed design method and recommend a partial safety factor for the lateral–distortional buckling resistance of steel-concrete composite beams with elliptically-based web openings. The proposed framework provides a robust and accurate alternative for evaluating the lateral-distortional buckling resistance of composite perforated beams.

Key Words
elliptically-based web openings; lateral distortional buckling; machine learning; steel-concrete composite beams

Address
Juliano B. Zonta:Department of Civil Engineering, Federal University of São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luís (SP-310), km 235, São Carlos, São Paulo 13565-905, Brazil

Sina Sarfarazi:Department of Structures for Engineering and Architecture, University of Naples “Federico II”, Via Claudio, 21, 80125, Naples, Italy

Felipe P.V. Ferreira:Department of Civil Engineering, State University of Maringá, Av. Colombo, 5790, Jardim Universitário, Maringá, Paraná 87020-900, Brazil

Alexandre Rossi:Department of Civil Engineering, State University of Maringá, Av. Colombo, 5790, Jardim Universitário, Maringá, Paraná 87020-900, Brazil

Musab Rabi:Department of Civil Engineering, Jerash University, Jerash Governorate, 26150, Jordan

Ikram Abarkan:Department of Physics, Faculty of Sciences, Abdelmalek Essaâdi University, Avenue de Sebta, Mhannech II, B.P. 2121, 93002 Tétouan, Morocco

Rabee Shamass:Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Brunel University London, Kingston Lane, Uxbridge, UB8 3PH, United Kingdom

Konstantinos D. Tsavdaridis:Department of Engineering, School of Science & Technology, City St George's, University of London, Northampton Square, EC1V 0HB, London, UK

Abstract
Externally prestressed composite I-girders with corrugated steel webs are increasingly used in bridge and building applications to improve structural performance and reduce story height. Corrugated webs provide higher shear resistance and enable more efficient transfer of prestressing forces due to the accordion effect, but their combined behavior under external prestressing has not been fully explored. This study develops and validates nonlinear finite element (FE) models in ABAQUS to simulate the flexural response of externally prestressed composite I-girders with single (SCW) and double corrugated webs (DCW). The models incorporate tendon–beam interaction, shear connector behavior, and web–flange contact, and were verified against experimental data from the literature with good agreement in load–deflection curves, tendon force development, and failure modes. An extensive parametric study was conducted to examine the influence of key variables including prestressing force, stiffeners, span-to-depth ratio (Lc/ds), web slenderness (dw/tw), corrugation profile dimensions (a, b, dr), concrete flange width and thickness, and web type (SCW, FW, DCW). Results show that stiffeners increased the ultimate capacity by 12%, while the absence of prestressing reduced it by 15%. Increasing the concrete flange thickness from 80 to 120 mm improved the ultimate load by 19–23%, whereas increasing the corrugation depth reduced the ultimate load by up to 11% in beams with 6 mm-thick webs due to a more pronounced accordion effect. A higher web slenderness ratio also enhanced the ultimate load. A new non-dimensional parameter, r, is proposed as a practical design index for selecting the optimum web configuration. The proposed parameter identifies the range in which SCWs are more efficient than FW and DCW systems, showing that SCWs are most effective for r < 1.9 (or Lc/ds < 10). This design-oriented criterion provides practical guidance for optimizing externally prestressed composite girders and supports future design recommendations.

Key Words
composite I-beam; corrugated steel web; external prestressing; parametric study; shear buckling

Address
Islam Salama:1)Civil Department, College of Engineering, Al Maaqal University, Basrah, Iraq
2)Higher Institute of Engineering and Technology in Zagazig, Zagazig, Egypt

Mahmoud T. Nawar:1)Engineering Management Department, College of Engineering,
Prince Sultan University, Riyadh 11586, Saudi Arabia
2)Structural Engineering Department, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

Ayman El-Zohairy:Department of Engineering and Technology, East Texas A&M University, Commerce, TX 75429, USA

Ibrahim T. Arafa:Structural Engineering Department, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44519, Egypt

Abstract
Computer intelligence is creating new measurement techniques for the investigation of elastic and damping material properties of a composite material. The experimental method used in this paper is based on the Impulse Excitation Technique and focuses on the characterization of elastic and damping material properties of CFRP composite by the Resonalyser equipment. The Resonalyser procedure is used for the non-destructive evaluation of the complex orthotropic elastic engineering constants of thin test plates and beams. This procedure is based on a mixed numerical experimental inverse method with measurements of resonance frequencies and damping ratios of thin plates and beams. The goal of the investigation is to verify whether delamination pre-cracks affect the complex engineering constants of CFRP composites. The real parts of the engineering constants are only slightly affected by the pre-cracks. The damping parts are more affected. Especially, the tangent delta of Poisson ratio changes considerably. This fact opens new challenges for research into the micromechanics of materials, which may lead to improved modeling and design of materials for dynamic calculations of CFRP structures.

Key Words
CFRP composite with and without defect; complex engineering constants; non-destructive test

Address
Eva Kormanikova:Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Structural Engineering and Transportation Structures, Košice, Slovakia

Hugo Sol:1)Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Mechanics of Materials and Structures, Brussels, Belgium
2)BYTEC BV, Merksplas, Belgium

Jun Gu:1)BYTEC BV, Merksplas, Belgium
2)Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Physical Chemistry and Polymer Science, Department MACH, Brussels, Belgium

Kamila Kotrasova:Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Structural Engineering and Transportation Structures, Košice, Slovakia

Lenka Kabosova:Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Arts, Department of Architecture, Košice, Slovakia

Viktoria Bajzecerova:Technical University of Košice, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Institute of Structural Engineering and Transportation Structures, Košice, Slovakia

Abstract
This study presents a parametric analytical investigation into the buckling performance of doubly curved triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) shells, offering novel insights for the optimal selection of topology and geometry in lightweight, additively manufactured steel and composite structures under compressive loads. Three distinct TPMS architectures:Primitive (P), Gyroid (G), and I-Wrapped Package (IWP) are analytically modeled using higher-order shear deformation theory (HSDT) and Hamilton's principle, with stability equations solved via Navier's method for simply supported conditions. The research rigorously evaluates the synergistic effects of shell curvature (spherical, hyperbolic, elliptical, cylindrical), relative density, and through-thickness porosity distribution patterns. Results demonstrate that IWP-based shells achieve the highest absolute peak buckling loads in optimal configurations (e.g., spherical/PD-I), while Gyroid-based shells exhibit superior performance robustness and consistency across varying porosity and density parameters, with spherical geometries exhibiting up to 44.9% higher critical loads compared to other curvatures. Notably, a mid-plane concentrated porosity distribution (Type I) enhances stability by 32–38% relative to uniform distributions. The findings provide quantitatively validated design guidelines for engineering lightweight, porous steel and composite shells with tailored buckling resistance, directly applicable to aerospace, automotive, and civil structures where optimized weight-to-strength ratios are critical. This work bridges advanced theoretical modeling with practical design strategies, aligning with the journal's focus on stability, plates/shells, and hybrid structural systems.

Key Words
analytical methods; buckling stability; doubly curved shells; lightweight composite structures; steel-composite shells; topology optimization; triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS)

Address
Sepide Nosrati:Smart Structures and New Advanced Materials Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Omid Rahmani:Smart Structures and New Advanced Materials Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, University of Zanjan, Zanjan, Iran

Seyed Amirhosein Hosseini:Department of Industrial, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering,
Buein Zahra Technical University, Buein Zahra, Iran

Abstract
Beam-to-beam end-plate joints at the kink of polygonal steel portal frames, involving members with different inclinations and cross-sections, are not explicitly addressed in current design standards and remain scarcely covered in the literature. This study investigates the influence of centroidal alignment by comparing two geometric arrangements: (i) an eccentric configuration, in which the top flanges of the two beams are aligned to facilitate roof assembly, and (ii) a coaxial configuration, in which their centroidal axes coincide at the end-plate mid-plane. Section forces obtained from a global portal frame analysis are transferred to a local finite element joint model through stress distributions, allowing the effect on the mechanical response of the centroidal location to be quantified. A linear elastic response under identical idealized conditions is intentionally assumed to isolate the geometrical influence from nonlinear behavior. Under a stress state governed primarily by normal stresses, centroidal alignment reduces the maximum equivalent elastic stress by up to 57%, which represents an elastic upper-bound comparison. It also increases the elastic rotational stiffness indicator by up to 121%, which reflects the linearized structural response rather than a secant-stiffness comparison at the governing load level. These values should be interpreted as comparative elastic indicators, not as predictions of ultimate joint resistance. The results support considering centroidal alignment as a relevant design parameter for kink joints involving members with different cross-sections, contributing to more efficient and lightweight structural solutions.

Key Words
beam-to-beam joints; centroidal alignment; end-plate connections; finite element analysis; polygonal portal frames; rotational stiffness

Address
Pablo A. Morales-Rodríguez: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica de Ciudad Real, 13003 Ciudad Real, Spain

Jesús A. López-Perales: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica de Ciudad Real, 13003 Ciudad Real, Spain

Sergio Horta Muñoz: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial y Aeroespacial de Toledo, Instituto de Investigación Aplicada a la Industria Aeronáutica, Av. Carlos III, Real Fábrica de Armas, 45004 Toledo, Spain

Pedro J. Alcobendas: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería Agronómica de Ciudad Real, 13003 Ciudad Real, Spain

María C. Serna Moreno: Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, Escuela de Ingeniería Industrial y Aeroespacial de Toledo, Instituto de Investigación Aplicada a la Industria Aeronáutica, Av. Carlos III, Real Fábrica de Armas, 45004 Toledo, Spain

Abstract
Welding residual stress (WRS) is a key factor contributing to the occurrence of multi-cracks in orthotropic steel decks (OSDs). However, the effects of WRS and multi-cracks propagation on fatigue life have been investigated separately. This study focuses on the combined effect of WRS and multi-cracks coupling propagation in rib-to-deck (RTD) welds. First, the welding process was simulated using a thermal-mechanical finite element method to obtain the WRS distribution around the RTD welds. Then, the dynamic evolution and fatigue life of multi-cracks under the influence of WRS was investigated. Finally, a novel multi-cracks reconstruction method was proposed for simplify multi-cracks analysis. The results indicate that WRS significantly accelerates the propagation rate of initial cracks and promotes the occurrence of multi-cracks merging behavior. In the crack merging stage, the SIF at the merging point significantly increases, with the maximum SIF increase exceeding two times with WRS consideration. The effect of WRS on fatigue life deserves attention. Compared with the without WRS case, the fatigue life decreased by 66.4% under WRS and by 31.3% under WRS relaxation case. Incorporating the WRS relaxation effect into fatigue life assessment reduces the discrepancy between predicted results and actual engineering performance. Furthermore, the proposed multi-cracks reconstruction method demonstrates superior predictive accuracy over existing assessment standards.

Key Words
fatigue life; multi-cracks; orthotropic steel deck; reconstruction method; welding residual stress

Address
Honghao Wang:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Naiwei Lu:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Peiqi Tang: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Jian Cui:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Xiaofan Liu:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Kai Wang:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

Yang Liu: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Changsha University of Science and Technology,
Changsha, Hunan, 410114, China

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