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Volume 3, Issue 2, 2025

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The environmental impacts of rock blasting at the Babawa main quarry site in Gezawa, Kano State, Nigeria, were systematically assessed. Electrical resistivity tomography, spontaneous potential, and induced polarization methods were employed using a Wenner array configuration with electrode spacings of 5 m and 10 m. Data processing and inversion were conducted using RES2DINV, while spatial visualization was performed with Surfer v12. Subsurface characterization revealed three layers: a highly weathered basement (comprising clay and gravel materials), a partially weathered and fractured basement, and a fresh granitic basement. Low resistivity values ranging from 16 $\Omega \cdot \mathrm{m}$ to 200 $\Omega \cdot \mathrm{m}$ were observed from near-surface depths to approximately 25 m, indicating zones of intense weathering. In contrast, resistivity values exceeding 1000 $\Omega \cdot \mathrm{m}$ were interpreted as relatively intact granitic formations minimally affected by blasting activities. In terms of chargeability responses, low values corresponded to weak, fractured zones and higher values indicated more competent lithologies. Zones of elevated spontaneous potential anomalies were associated with potential fluid migration pathways, while low spontaneous potential values corresponded to relatively intact and impermeable regions. A consistent spatial correlation among electrical resistivity tomography, induced polarization, and spontaneous potential datasets was identified, confirming the presence of fractured zones radiating outward from the quarry site. Although these fractures were not found to extend to significant depths, repeated blasting activities appear to have exacerbated pre-existing structural discontinuities. Such conditions may pose risks to nearby infrastructure and groundwater systems if left unmonitored. It is therefore recommended that continuous geophysical monitoring and stricter regulation of blasting operations be implemented to mitigate long-term environmental and geotechnical hazards.

Open Access
Research article
Study of the Strength and Chloride Corrosion Resistance of Solid Waste-Based Marine Concrete under Combined Conditions
Chao Ren ,
Hui Zhang ,
Yanhui Xi ,
Lianyang Sun ,
zhuo song ,
hongmin ma
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Available online: 04-30-2025

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Marine concrete is subject to long-term degradation from coupled actions such as chloride ingress, wet-dry cycling, and salt spray. Traditional Portland cement concrete faces challenges including insufficient durability, high carbon emissions, and low utilization of solid wastes. This study develops marine concrete using an all-solid-waste binder system and systematically investigates its mechanical performance evolution under various combined environmental conditions. By employing the rapid chloride migration test, long-term immersion method, and apparent chloride concentration analysis, we elucidate the chloride corrosion resistance and chloride transport kinetics of the material. The results demonstrate that the developed concrete achieves 100% solid waste incorporation, with a compressive strength of 71.9 MPa, flexural strength of 7.1 MPa, chloride diffusion coefficient of 0.08 × 10$^{-12}$ m$^2$/s, and charge passed of 51 C. Under coupled conditions involving artificial seawater with wet-dry cycling, high-low temperature cycling, and carbonation cycling, the concrete exhibits satisfactory mechanical performance and chloride resistance that meets the requirements for marine engineering environments. These findings provide experimental evidence and theoretical support for large-scale application of all-solid-waste concrete in marine engineering, simultaneously addressing solid waste valorization, low-carbon construction materials, and long-term durability of marine structures.

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Structural damage identification and optimization in truss systems have increasingly relied on metaheuristic algorithms because of the high nonlinearity, multimodality, and computational complexity associated with conventional optimization methods. Among these approaches, swarm intelligence–based algorithms inspired by natural foraging and survival behaviors have demonstrated considerable effectiveness in solving continuous optimization problems. In this study, the African vultures optimization algorithm, a bio-inspired metaheuristic algorithm modeled on the navigation, foraging, and cooperative hunting behaviors of African vultures, was applied to the structural analysis and damage identification of planar and space truss systems. Finite element analysis was integrated with the optimization framework to evaluate the structural dynamic responses and natural frequency variations associated with different damage scenarios. Structural damage was identified through the minimization of objective functions. The exploration and exploitation capabilities of the African vultures optimization algorithm were systematically utilized to enhance global search performance and convergence stability during the optimization process. The effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach were assessed through several benchmark truss structures subjected to varying damage conditions. Accurate localization and quantification of structural damage were achieved with high computational efficiency and strong convergence behavior. In comparison with conventional metaheuristic optimization techniques, improved stability, reliability, and solution accuracy were observed, particularly in complex and high-dimensional structural optimization problems. The findings demonstrate that the African vultures optimization algorithm can serve as an efficient and reliable computational tool for structural health monitoring, vibration-based damage detection, and optimization of truss structures. The proposed framework is expected to provide significant potential for advanced engineering applications involving large-scale structural systems and intelligent damage assessment.
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