The present Structural Engineering Document (SED) is a compilation of contributions devoted to the vast topic of history of structural engineering as well as interventions on heritage structures and structures of high cultural values. Various, some-times opposed, viewpoints and approaches are expressed and presented. The rather heterogeneous and controversial nature of the content of this SED shall stimulate lively discus-sions within the structural engineering community who needs to increase the awareness of historical and cultural aspects of structures and structural engineering. Current structural engineering methods and practice are only at the very begin-ning of effective engineering, really integrating historical and cultural aspects in the assessment of existing structures and in intervention projects to adapt or modify structures of cultural values for future demands. Knowing the past is indispensable for modern structural engineering!

This book gathers the peer-reviewed papers presented at the 4th International Conference on Protection of Historical Constructions (PROHITECH), held in Athens, Greece, on October 25-27, 2021. The conference topics encompass structural and earthquake engineering, intervention strategies, materials and technologies, digital documentation, architecture and urban planning, cultural heritage, all of which represented by a showcase of case studies covering different construction materials, as well as sustainability, energy efficiency, and adaptation to climate changes. As such the book represents an invaluable, up-to-the-minute tool, providing an essential overview of protection of historical constructions, and offers an important platform to researchers, engineers and architects.

History of Construction Cultures Volume 1 contains papers presented at the 7ICCH – Seventh International Congress on Construction History, held at the Lisbon School of Architecture, Portugal, from 12 to 16 July, 2021. The conference has been organized by the Lisbon School of Architecture (FAUL), NOVA School of Social Sciences and Humanities, the Portuguese Society for Construction History Studies and the University of the Azores. The contributions cover the wide interdisciplinary spectrum of Construction History and consist on the most recent advances in theory and practical case studies analysis, following themes such as: - epistemological issues; - building actors; - building materials; - building machines, tools and equipment; - construction processes; - building services and techniques ; -structural theory and analysis ; - political, social and economic aspects; - knowledge transfer and cultural translation of construction cultures. Furthermore, papers presented at thematic sessions aim at covering important problematics, historical periods and different regions of the globe, opening new directions for Construction History research. We are what we build and how we build; thus, the study of Construction History is now more than ever at the centre of current debates as to the shape of a sustainable future for humankind. Therefore, History of Construction Cultures is a critical and indispensable work to expand our understanding of the ways in which everyday building activities have been perceived and experienced in different cultures, from ancient times to our century and all over the world.

This volume contains the proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions (SAHC) that was held in Cusco, Peru in 2018. It disseminates recent advances in the areas related to the structural analysis of historical and archaeological constructions. The challenges faced in this field show that accuracy and robustness of results rely heavily on an interdisciplinary approach, where different areas of expertise from managers, practitioners, and scientists work together. Bearing this in mind, SAHC 2018 stimulated discussion on the new knowledge developed in the different disciplines involved in analysis, conservation, retrofit, and management of existing constructions. This book is organized according to the following topics: assessment and intervention of archaeological heritage, history of construction and building technology, advances in inspection and NDT, innovations in field and laboratory testing applied to historical construction and heritage, new technologies and techniques, risk and vulnerability assessments of heritage for multiple types of hazards, repair, strengthening, and retrofit of historical structures, numerical modeling and structural analysis, structural health monitoring, durability and sustainability, management and conservation strategies for heritage structures, and interdisciplinary projects and case studies. This volume holds particular interest for all the community interested in the challenging task of preserving existing constructions, enable great opportunities, and also uncover new challenges in the field of structural analysis of historical and archeological constructions.

New Perspectives on Virtual and Augmented Reality discusses the possibilities of using virtual and augmented reality in the role of innovative pedagogy, where there is an urgent need to find ways to teach and support learning in a transformed learning environment. Technology creates opportunities to learn differently and presents challenges for education. Virtual reality solutions can be exciting, create interest in learning, make learning more accessible and make learning faster. This book analyses the capabilities of virtual, augmented and mixed reality by providing ideas on how to make learning more effective, how existing VR/AR solutions can be used as learning tools and how a learning process can be structured. The virtual reality (VR) solutions can be used successfully for educational purposes as their use can contribute to the construction of knowledge and the development of metacognitive processes. They also contribute to inclusive education by providing access to knowledge that would not otherwise be available. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and post-graduate students in the field of educational technology.

Current Perspectives and New Directions in Mechanics, Modelling and Design of Structural Systems comprises 330 papers that were presented at the Eighth International Conference on Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Computation (SEMC 2022, Cape Town, South Africa, 5-7 September 2022). The topics featured may be clustered into six broad categories that span the themes of mechanics, modelling and engineering design: (i) mechanics of materials (elasticity, plasticity, porous media, fracture, fatigue, damage, delamination, viscosity, creep, shrinkage, etc); (ii) mechanics of structures (dynamics, vibration, seismic response, soil-structure interaction, fluid-structure interaction, response to blast and impact, response to fire, structural stability, buckling, collapse behaviour); (iii) numerical modelling and experimental testing (numerical methods, simulation techniques, multi-scale modelling, computational modelling, laboratory testing, field testing, experimental measurements); (iv) design in traditional engineering materials (steel, concrete, steel-concrete composite, aluminium, masonry, timber); (v) innovative concepts, sustainable engineering and special structures (nanostructures, adaptive structures, smart structures, composite structures, glass structures, bio-inspired structures, shells, membranes, space structures, lightweight structures, etc); (vi) the engineering process and life-cycle considerations (conceptualisation, planning, analysis, design, optimization, construction, assembly, manufacture, maintenance, monitoring, assessment, repair, strengthening, retrofitting, decommissioning). Two versions of the papers are available: full papers of length 6 pages are included in the e-book, while short papers of length 2 pages, intended to be concise but self-contained summaries of the full papers, are in the printed book. This work will be of interest to civil, structural, mechanical, marine and aerospace engineers, as well as planners and architects.

During its long history Persian culture has played a fundamental role in, and has made major contributions to, human civilisation. During the last few decades, scholarly interest in Persian culture, including its history, archaeology, art and architecture, has accelerated research into Persian cultural heritage. Scientific studies have provided information about knowledge on which Persian traditional buildings are based and methodologies used for their preservation. This book gives comprehensive information about Persian architectural heritage for scholars, students and practicing engineers in civil, structural, architectural, hydraulic, and restoration engineering, and other related disciplines.

The Book explores the intricate balance of preserving cultural heritage while fostering sustainable urban growth. This comprehensive volume presents a diverse array of chapters, each exploring unique facets of this critical intersection. From the contextual preservation methods in Italy's military landscapes and advanced data fusion techniques in Selinunte, to the phenomenological exploration of Bahrain's architectural identity and the environmental frameworks for its primary health care centers, the book offers multifaceted insights. It navigates through the urban transformations in historic sites like Thamugadi and Tripoli, the digitization for conservation in Algeria, and the sustainable urban futures informed by indigenous knowledge systems. Furthermore, it examines public space dynamics, urban green infrastructure, and the integration of sustainable development into urban planning, with case studies spanning from Turkey to Tehran. The book also addresses contemporary architectural discourse, mobility in architecture, and the significance of unacknowledged tributaries in urban planning. Through a rich tapestry of empirical research, case studies, and theoretical analysis, this book is an essential resource for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers dedicated to the advancement of cultural heritage and sustainable urban development.

The success of any activity and process depends fundamentally on the possibility of balancing (symmetry) needs and their satisfaction. That is, the ability to properly define a set of success indicators. The application of the developed new multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods can be eliminated or decreased by decision-makers’ subjectivity, which leads to consistency or symmetry in the weight values of the criteria. In this Special Issue, 40 research papers and one review study co-authored by 137 researchers from 23 different countries explore aspects of multi-criteria modeling and optimization in crisp or uncertain environments. The papers propose new approaches and elaborate case studies in the following areas of application: MCDM optimization in sustainable engineering, environmental sustainability in engineering processes, sustainable multi-criteria production and logistics processes planning, integrated approaches for modeling processes in engineering, new trends in the multi-criteria evaluation of sustainable processes, and multi-criteria decision-making in strategic management based on sustainable criteria.

Besides their notable historical and cultural significance, heritage buildings crucially contribute to the economy of those countries that rely heavily on the tourism industry. Investigation and monitoring of the origins of deterioration and damage are therefore key to the preservation of architectural heritage. Diagnosis of Heritage Buildings by Non-Destructive Techniques offers an up-to-date overview of state-of-the-art knowledge by collating specialized studies written by an international group of experts in the field, while also examining the value of these non-intrusive methods through a number of real-life case studies which prove NDT techniques' global relevance. The volume is an invaluable reference resource for students, researchers, and practitioners alike. - Helps readers to easily identify the latest advances in non-destructive testing by subdividing the content into sections specific to each assessment approach - Explores the integration of different NDT methodologies, facilitating the interoperability of traditional and advanced technologies - Presents case studies based on real built heritage to show how to correctly implement the measurement techniques described, and to interpret the results