Revista ALCONPAT https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA <table> <tbody> <tr> <td><img src="/public/site/images/admin/Portada_principal4.jpg" alt="" width="350" height="453"></td> <td>&nbsp;</td> <td> <p align="justify">The Revista ALCONPAT (RA) is an international scientific electronic journal of the Latin American Association of Quality Control, Pathology and Recovery of Construction that aims to publish case studies related to quality control, pathology and recovery of buildings , contributions are welcome product of basic research, applied, documentary or review articles, directly related to the solution of problems in these areas.</p> <div> <p align="justify">(RA) is aimed towards the scientific and technical medium of the construction industry, related to: exterior finishes, climate action, accidents and meteors, legal aspects, ethics, costs, education and learning, execution, human factor, structural elements, decorative elements, management, facilities, safety, materials, characterization methods and methodologies, standards, works, projects, international networks, use and maintenance.</p> <p align="justify">The manuscripts will be subject to a peer review process by a scientific committee and anonymous reviewers in a double-blind process, in which the authors do not know the evaluators and vice versa.</p> <p align="justify">It is a quarterly journal published three times per year in the following manner: January, May and September. It is published in three languages, English, Portuguese and Spanish. The RA, based on its open access privacy policy, allows downloading the entire content of the journal in digital format (PDF) for free.</p> <p align="justify">It also authorizes the author to upload the article, in the format published by the journal (author’s guidelines), to their personal website: <a>http://www.revistaalconpat.org</a>; the author may also distribute copies of the published article in an electronic or printed format to anyone they consider convenient and reuse parts of the article in future articles, provided that the corresponding credit is given (citation).</p> </div> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> ALCONPAT Internacional en-US Revista ALCONPAT 2007-6835 <div id="deed-head" class="row"> <div id="deed-license"> <div id="deed-head" class="row"> <div id="deed-license"> <p><strong>_______________________________</strong></p> <p><strong>License in effect from September 2020</strong></p> <h2 id="rights">You are free to:</h2> <ol> <li class="show"><strong>Share&nbsp;</strong>— copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format for any purpose, even commercially.</li> <li class="show"><strong>Adapt&nbsp;</strong>— remix, transform, and build upon the material for any purpose, even commercially.</li> <li class="show">The licensor cannot revoke these freedoms as long as you follow the license terms.</li> </ol> <h2 id="terms">Under the following terms:</h2> <ol> <li class="cc-by show"><strong>Attribution&nbsp;</strong>— You must give&nbsp;<a id="src-appropriate-credit" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-appropriate-credit">appropriate credit&nbsp;</a>, provide a link to the license, and&nbsp;<a id="src-indicate-changes" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-indicate-changes">indicate if changes were made&nbsp;</a>. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.</li> <li class="show"><strong>No additional restrictions&nbsp;</strong>— You may not apply legal terms or&nbsp;<a id="src-technological-measures" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-technological-measures">technological measures&nbsp;</a>that legally restrict others from doing anything the license permits.</li> </ol> <h2 class="b-header has-text-black padding-bottom-big padding-top-normal">Notices:</h2> <p>You do not have to comply with the license for elements of the material in the public domain or where your use is permitted by an applicable&nbsp;<a id="src-exception-or-limitation" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-exception-or-limitation">exception or limitation&nbsp;</a>.</p> <p>No warranties are given. The license may not give you all of the permissions necessary for your intended use. For example, other rights such as&nbsp;<a id="src-publicity-privacy-or-moral-rights" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/#ref-publicity-privacy-or-moral-rights">publicity, privacy, or moral rights&nbsp;</a>may limit how you use the material.</p> </div> </div> </div> </div> RA V15 N3, Message from the Editor in Chief (September – December, 2025) https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/924 <p><strong>LATIN AMERICAN JOURNAL OF QUALITY CONTROL, PATHOLOGY AND CONSTRUCTION RECOVERY</strong></p> <p><em>http://www.revistaalconpat.org</em></p> <p>It is a source of satisfaction and joy for the ALCONPAT Journal team to see the third issue of our fifteenth year published.</p> <p>The objective of the Revista ALCONPAT (RA) is the publication of citable production (basic or applied research, and reviews), documentary research and case studies, related to the themes of our association, i.e. quality control, pathology and recovery of constructions.</p> <p>This issue V1 N3, starts with a paper from <strong>Mexico, </strong>where Luis Enrique Fernández-Baqueiro and colleagues study the cracking process of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) units and masonry wallets with discrete crack models of the Finite Element Method. The results of an experimental study were analyzed to develop computational models. Models of the splitting tensile strength tests of units and the diagonal tensile strength test of masonry wallets, of different sizes, were developed. Rankine and Mohr failure criteria were considered for the interface elements. The cracking loads were determined. It was concluded that, with the developed models, the cracking loads and the failure mechanism of AAC units and wallets are well simulated compared to what was observed experimentally.</p> <p>In the second article, Carlos Alberto Torres Montes de Oca and José Eduardo Rosas Valencia from Mexico, analyze the behavior of the bell towers of a historical temple built with irregular masonry. It is analyzed by means of a finite element model of shell types and turning blocks. The results showed a coherent relationship of the behavior with respect to section changes. Differential subsidence drastically increased the displacements. One limitation was the interruption of access, due to intervention activities in the building. The uniqueness of this work is based on the graphic superposition of the displacements calculated for different combinations of isolated and combined actions. In conclusion, the displacements obtained with time signals are less critical than those determined with response spectrum.</p> <p>The third work in this issue is from <strong>Mexico</strong>, where Jorge Xilotl-Domínguez and colleagues aims to reduce the weight and enhance the thermal performance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) for architectural applications while maintaining adequate mechanical strength. To achieve this, expanded polystyrene perlite (EPP) was used to replace limestone sand by mass (0, 30, 55, 80, and 100%) and synthetic Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) structural fiber was added. The mixes were evaluated for compressive and flexural strength, surface and bulk electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity. Results showed that EPP significantly reduced density and thermal conductivity, while PVA improved strength. However, high EPP contents decreased mechanical performance. The combination of EPP and PVA in UHPC is innovative. It was concluded that optimized mixtures can balance thermal efficiency and structural integrity for architectural uses.</p> <p>The fourth article, by Lucio Guillermo López-Yépez and colleagues, comes from <strong>Mexico</strong>. In this study, specimens were tested under sustained axial compression loads to obtain their short-term creep behavior, i.e., over a period of one hour. The specimens were subjected to various loads (20%, 50%, and 80% of their capacity) at various ages (7, 28, and 90 days), recording the longitudinal and transverse strain over time. Subsequently, the specimens were tested to failure, obtaining the stress-strain curve, compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity. It was found that the specimens subjected to 20% load showed a slight increase in capacity and modulus of elasticity, while those subjected to 50% and 80% loads showed a decrease in capacity and modulus of elasticity for all ages.</p> <p>The fifth paper is from <strong>Nicaragua</strong> by Eddisson Francisco Hernandez and colleagues. They evaluate the performance of artisanal and semi-industrial blocks, used to make prisms and walls, under vertical and diagonal stresses necessary to determine the structural vulnerability of buildings to seismic hazards. Concrete block masonry constructions are commonly used in the Pacific region of Nicaragua, mainly in housing projects. In 2017, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure published the "Minimum Standard for Design and Construction of Masonry MP-001", as a complement to the National Construction Regulations. However, this standard does not consider the characteristics and properties of local materials. Concrete blocks prisms and walls were elaborated, and failure types and mechanical performance at later ages were determined. The results showed a tendency to diagonal stress failures in walls, with an average strength (Vm) of 6.7 kg/cm<sup>2</sup>, higher than those reported in the literature.</p> <p>The sixth work is by Carlos Alberto Torres Montes de Oca and colleagues from <strong>Mexico</strong>. The objective of this research was to simulate, by means of virtual modeling, the recovery of the distortional stability of a reinforced concrete building by means of composite and contact beams. The methodological procedure is based on previous studies such as pathological auscultation, concrete coring, sclerometry, environmental vibration tests, soil mechanics and generation of mathematical models. The analyses and studies are carried out in accordance with national and international standards. The model representing the current state of the structure was numerically calibrated. The results indicate that by using composite section beams for the reinforcement of the system, greater stiffness is obtained in the superstructure if compared to contact beams.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The seventh is from <strong>Brazil</strong> by Cristiano Corrêa and colleagues. They provide a prognosis of the survival conditions of victims of a fire in a dormitory in a residential building, using the Fire Dynamics Simulator-FDS computer program. Based on a contextualization of deaths caused by fire in the world and in Brazil, most deaths occur in residential environments. Given the preventive gap in these environments, lethal concentrations of carbon monoxide and dioxide were analyzed, as well as the temperature and minimum oxygen concentration. The maximum time that occupants of the dormitory would remain in the four positions was estimated, considering people with mobility difficulties. It was found that the environment becomes lethal in a maximum of 8 minutes after the fire, in the positions studied.</p> <p>The article that closes the issue is by Leonardo Silva Araujo and Elie Chahdan Mounzer from <strong>Brazil</strong>, who investigate the influence of an extremely aggressive atmosphere on the metallic structures and equipment of a platform undergoing decommissioning. The methodology included bibliographical research, data collection on accidents caused by corrosion; prior selection of sites; visual inspection; and curation of the data collected. The results showed severe damage to structures, equipment and accessories caused by the intense aggressiveness of the environment. The limitations involved access to information on accidents and incidents related to corrosive processes in this environment. This work is original because it covers the effects of an extremely aggressive atmosphere in the studied environment. The conclusion is that corrosion on platforms in such conditions poses serious risks of structural collapse, as well as potential harm to workers and the environment.</p> <p>We are confident that the articles on this issue will be an important reference for those readers involved in issues of evaluation and characterization of materials, elements and structures. We thank the authors participating in this issue for their willingness and effort to submit quality articles and meet the established deadlines.</p> <p>Fifteen years after starting operations, our performance as Alconpat Journal was finally rewarded with our inclusion in one of the two best indexes for journals such as Elsevier's Scopus. We already have a modest cite score (0.6), which I am sure will increase thanks to you, our readers, and the quality of our articles. Our membership in Scopus has its historic beginning on December 29, 2022, the date on which we received approval from Elsevier. We hope during 2026 to apply to Journal Citation Reports, which is the index with the highest international coverage and quality. I also want to share with you that we were accepted, after rigorous evaluations and corrections to our operation, in the Dialnet index, which, according to information provided by them, is the prelude that could guarantee a positive evaluation in JCR. We will see in the coming months if this is fulfilled. In the meantime, we invite you to read us, and if your reading was useful in your work, please do not forget to cite us. The 15th anniversary of our journal will also be celebrated at the Eduardo Torroja Institute on the occasion of CONPAT 2025 from September 24 to 26. Similarly, with an extraordinary issue dedicated to critical Reviews, which we hope you will like, and which will come to light before the end of the year. These are reasons for celebration for our community that has made a scientific investment in our journal waiting for moments like this. Congratulations to all.</p> <p>By the Editorial Board</p> <p>Pedro Castro Borges&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Editor in Chief</p> Pedro Castro-Borges Copyright (c) 2025 Castro Borges, P. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 i ii Computational modeling of cracking in autoclaved aerated concrete blocks and masonry wallets. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/800 <p>The objective of this research was to study the cracking process of autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) blocks and masonry wallets with discrete crack models of the Finite Element Method. The results of an experimental study were analyzed to develop computational models. Models of the splitting tensile strength tests of blocks and the diagonal tensile strength test of masonry wallets, of different sizes, were developed. Rankine and Mohr failure criteria were considered for the interface elements. The cracking loads were determined. It was concluded that, with the developed models, the cracking loads and the failure mechanism of AAC blocks and wallets are well simulated compared to what was observed experimentally.</p> Luis Fernández-Baqueiro Laura Ceballos-Pérez Joel Moreno-Herrera Jorge Varela-Rivera Copyright (c) 2025 Fernández-Baqueiro, L. E., Ceballos-Pérez, L., Moreno-Herrera, J. A., Varela-Rivera, J. L. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 230 248 10.21041/ra.v15i3.800 Virtual determination of displacements in bell towers of historic buildings subjected to seismic actions and subsidence, using shell elements, linear and modified linear dynamic analysis. Case study: Templo de la Santa Veracruz. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/784 <p>The objective of this work is to analyze the behavior of the bell towers of a historical temple built with irregular masonry, it is analyzed by means of a finite element model of shell types and turning blocks. The results showed a coherent relationship of the behavior with respect to section changes. Differential subsidence drastically increased the displacements. One limitation was the interruption of access, due to intervention activities in the building. The uniqueness of this work is based on the graphic superposition of the displacements calculated for different combinations of isolated and combined actions. In conclusion, the displacements obtained with time signals are less critical than those determined with response spectrum.</p> Carlos Alberto Torres Montes de Oca José Eduardo Rosas Valencia Copyright (c) 2025 Torres, C. A., Rosas Valencia, J. E. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 249 298 10.21041/ra.v15i3.784 Development of lightweight ultra high performance concrete to architectural applications. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/907 <p>This study aims to reduce the weight and enhance the thermal performance of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) for architectural applications while maintaining adequate mechanical strength. To achieve this, expanded polystyrene perlite (EPP) was used to replace limestone sand by mass (0, 30, 55, 80, and 100%) and synthetic Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) structural fiber was added. The mixes were evaluated for compressive and flexural strength, surface and bulk electrical resistivity, and thermal conductivity. Results showed that EPP significantly reduced density and thermal conductivity, while PVA improved strength. However, high EPP contents decreased mechanical performance. The combination of EPP and PVA in UHPC is innovative. It was concluded that optimized mixtures can balance thermal efficiency and structural integrity for architectural uses.</p> Jorge Xilotl-Dominguez Alejandro Durán-Herrera Lucio Guillermo Lopez Yepez Ana Luisa Muñoz Espinoza Copyright (c) 2025 Xilotl-Domínguez, J., Durán-Herrera, A., López-Yépez, L., Muñoz-Espinoza, A. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 299 314 10.21041/ra.v15i3.907 Experimental behavior of plain concrete under short-term creep in uniaxial compression and its relation to stiffness change. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/836 <p>In this study, specimens were tested under sustained axial compression loads to obtain their short-term creep behavior, i.e., over a period of one hour. The specimens were subjected to various loads (20%, 50%, and 80% of their capacity) at various ages (7, 28, and 90 days), recording the longitudinal and transverse strain over time. Subsequently, the specimens were tested to failure, obtaining the stress-strain curve, compressive strength, and modulus of elasticity. It was found that the specimens subjected to 20% load showed a slight increase in capacity and modulus of elasticity, while those subjected to 50% and 80% loads showed a decrease in capacity and modulus of elasticity for all ages.</p> Bernardo Tadeo Terán-Torres Cesar Antonio Juárez Alvarado Jose Manuel Mendoza Rangel Ismael Flores Vivian Diego Cavazos de Lira Roman Hermosillo Mendoza Miguel Dario Bojorquez Calles Lucio Guillermo Lopez Yepez Copyright (c) 2025 Terán-Torres, B. T., Juárez-Alvarado, C. A., Mendoza-Rangel, J. M., Flores-Vivian, I., Cavazos-de Lira, D., Hermosillo-Mendoza, R., Bojórquez-Calles, M. D., López-Yépez, L. G. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 315 334 10.21041/ra.v15i3.836 Diagonal compression of hollow concrete block masonry, as an indicator of structural vulnerability. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/794 <p>The objective of this work was to evaluate the performance of artisanal and semi-industrial blocks, used to make prisms and walls, under vertical and diagonal stresses necessary to determine the structural vulnerability of buildings to seismic hazards. Concrete block masonry constructions are commonly used in the Pacific region of Nicaragua, mainly in housing projects. In 2017, the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, published the "Minimum Standard for Design and Construction of Masonry MP-001", as a complement to the National Construction Regulations. However, this standard does not take into account the characteristics and properties of local materials. Concrete blocks prisms and walls were elaborated, and failure types and mechanical performance at later ages were determined. The results showed a tendency to diagonal stress failures in walls, with an average strength (Vm) of 6.7 kg/cm<sup>2</sup>, higher than those reported in the literature.</p> Eddisson Hernández Erasmo José Aguilar Arriola H. Martínez Copyright (c) 2025 Hernández, E. F., Aguilar Arriola, E. J., Martínez, H. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 335 347 10.21041/ra.v15i3.794 Virtual distortional rehabilitation by composite and contact beams of a reinforced concrete building based on mixed testing. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/826 <p>The objective of this research is to simulate, by means of virtual modeling, the recovery of the distortional stability of a reinforced concrete building by means of composite and contact beams. The methodological procedure is based on previous studies such as pathological auscultation, concrete coring, sclerometry, environmental vibration tests, soil mechanics and generation of mathematical models. The analyses and studies are carried out in accordance with national and international standards. The model representing the current state of the structure was numerically calibrated. The results indicate that by using composite section beams for the reinforcement of the system, greater stiffness is obtained in the superstructure compared to contact beams.</p> Carlos Alberto Torres Montes de Oca Miguel Angel Segovia Huitrón Roberto Prado González Angel Gilberto Alba Campos Copyright (c) 2025 Torres Montes de Oca, C. A. Segovia Huitrón, M. A., Prado González, R., Alba Campos, A. G. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 348 383 10.21041/ra.v15i3.826 How long to life? The survival of people in fire of a residential bedroom using Fire Dynamics Simulator - FDS https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/807 <p>The paper provides a prognosis of the survival conditions of victims of a fire in a dormitory in a residential building, using the Fire Dynamics Simulator-FDS computer program. Based on a contextualization of deaths caused by fire in the world and in Brazil, most deaths occur in residential environments. Given the preventive gap in these environments, lethal concentrations of carbon monoxide and dioxide were analyzed, as well as the temperature and minimum oxygen concentration. The maximum time that occupants of the dormitory would remain in the four positions was estimated, considering people with mobility difficulties. It was found that the environment becomes lethal in a maximum of 8 minutes after the fire, in the positions studied.</p> Cristiano Correa Wladimir José Lopes Martins Anderson Souto Castro Marcondes Lopes dos Santos Benício Ferrari Junior Copyright (c) 2025 Corrêa, C., Martins, W., Castro, A., Lopes, M., Ferrrari Junior, B. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 384 412 10.21041/ra.v15i3.807 Effects of the extremely aggressive atmosphere on structures and equipment of offshore platforms undergoing decommissioning. https://www.revistaalconpat.org/index.php/RA/article/view/723 <p>The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of an extremely aggressive atmosphere on the metallic structures and equipment of a platform undergoing decommissioning. The methodology included bibliographical research, data collection on accidents caused by corrosion; prior selection of sites; visual inspection; and curation of the data collected. The results showed severe damage to structures, equipment and accessories caused by the intense aggressiveness of the environment. The limitations involved access to information on accidents and incidents related to corrosive processes in this environment. This work is original because it covers the effects of an extremely aggressive atmosphere in the studied environment. The conclusion is that corrosion on platforms in such conditions poses serious risks of structural collapse, as well as potential harm to workers and the environment.</p> Leonardo Silva Araujo Elie Chahdan Mounzer Copyright (c) 2025 Araujo, L. S., Mounzer, E. C. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 2025-09-01 2025-09-01 15 3 413 431 10.21041/ra.v15i3.723