Journal of Civil and Construction Engineering

Work Health and Safety Issues in the Construction Sector of Bangladesh: A Review of Challenges and Improvement Strategies

Mian Md Jawad Ibne Iqbal, Ar. Sazzadur Rasheed — Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The construction industry is a major contributor to economic growth in developing countries such as Bangladesh; however, it remains one of the most hazardous sectors due to persistent workplace health and safety (WHS) challenges. This study aims to examine the key factors influencing construction safety in Bangladesh critically and to identify strategies for improving safety performance. A qualitative systematic literature review approach was adopted, drawing on peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024 from major academic databases, including Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect. The collected literature was analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring patterns and key determinants of safety performance. The findings reveal that construction safety issues in Bangladesh are driven by the interaction of four major factors: weak management commitment and safety culture, unsafe worker behaviour and inadequate training, ineffective regulatory enforcement, and resource and technological constraints. These factors are highly interrelated and collectively contribute to unsafe working conditions and high accident rates. The study further highlights that fragmented and isolated interventions are insufficient to address these challenges. This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing a structured and context-specific synthesis of construction safety issues in a developing country context. It also offers practical implications for policymakers and industry stakeholders by emphasising the need for an integrated approach that combines organisational commitment, worker training, regulatory strengthening, and technological adoption. The study concludes that improving WHS in the Bangladeshi construction industry requires coordinated efforts across multiple levels to ensure sustainable and effective safety outcomes.

Prioritizing Technical Challenges and Management Strategies in Lift Irrigation Projects: An RII–Pareto Approach from Surkhet, Nepal

Dirgha Pal, Mukesh Kafle, Mahesh Sharma, Surendra Bahadur Shahi — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Lift Irrigation Systems (LIS) are essential for agriculture in Nepal’s mid‑hills, but their performance is often limited by unresolved technical problems. In Surkhet District, Karnali Province, five LIS projects serving 447 households face recurring failures, including insufficient water intake, high silting, electromechanical issues, and budget shortages. However, systematic prioritization of these problems and their management measures has been lacking. This study identifies, ranks, and evaluates technical problems and their corresponding management strategies using a stakeholder‑driven approach. Data were collected from 38 purposively selected stakeholders (7 government officials, 9 Water Users’ Association members, 3 contractors, and 19 local farmers) via Likert‑scale questionnaires covering eight problems (P1–P8) and their management measures (M11–M71). Relative Importance Index (RII), Pareto 80/20 principle with ABC tiering, weighted RII, qualitative feasibility analysis, and a prioritization matrix (problem RII × measure RII) was applied. Category A (“vital few”) problems were: insufficient budget (P5, RII = 0.8526), insufficient water intake (P1, RII = 0.7895), frequent electromechanical issues (P3, RII = 0.7105), and high silting (P2, RII = 0.6368) – together contributing 62.01% of total problem RII. Top‑ranked management measures were: regular tax collection (M52, RII = 0.8421), selection of sump well location (M15, RII = 0.9474), sump well location for silting (M22, RII = 0.8632), and routine maintenance (M32, RII = 0.8105). Feasibility analysis indicated that M52 and M15 are highly feasible (low to medium cost, low to medium complexity), while deep excavation (M13) is costlier. The prioritization matrix confirmed that measures addressing Category A problems have the highest combined impact. The RII–Pareto framework successfully identified the “vital few” technical problems, enabling targeted resource allocation. Recommended actions include implementing M52 and M15 in all five projects, establishing routine maintenance (M32), and using the ABC tiering for annual reviews. The approach is replicable for other LIS projects in Nepal’s mid‑hills and similar resource‑constrained settings.

Comparative Study of Compressive Strength between Natural Concrete and Recycled Concrete

Sulove Shrestha, Prayush Adhikari, Nimesh Karki — Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This study discusses the use of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA) as a partial replacement for natural coarse aggregate (NCA) in concrete construction. Three replacement proportions (15%, 30%, 45%) were used to compare compressive strength and material cost with 0% replacement concrete. The mix design of 1:1.36:2.67 was used with a water-cement ratio (w/c) of 0.45. Compressive strength was determined at 14 days and 28 days by testing 6 cubes for each proportion. Among all proportions, including 0% replacement, the average compressive strength for 14-day and 28-day concrete at 30% replacement was 36.66 MPa and 37.83 MPa, respectively—the highest overall. Non-destructive test (rebound hammer) numbers ranged from 26 to 29, indicating fair concrete. Impact values (19–25%) and Los Angeles Abrasion values (18–29%) suggest suitability for wearing courses. Cost analysis showed up to 13.22% reduction in material cost with 45% RCA replacement. It is concluded that NCA can be replaced by RCA up to 45% when the RCA age is approximately 2 years.

Comparative Evaluation of Flow Number (FN) and Permanent Flexural Microstrain (PFM) of Asphalt Concrete (AC) under Dynamic Flexural Stresses (DFS) and Hamburg Wheel Tracking Test (HWTT)

Saad Issa Sarsam — Wed, 17 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Monitoring the variation in FN and PFM within the AC structure after recycling of RAP is a sound start for the evaluation of the quality of the recycling process. The FN of AC is an important variable since it correlates well with the rutting potential of AC pavement. In the present assessment, slab samples of roller-compacted AC (RAP and recycled with soft binder) have been prepared. Part of the slab samples were tested for permanent deformation (PD) and FN with HWTTAC at a 60° C environment. Beam specimens were obtained from the other part of the prepared (RAP and recycled) AC slab samples and tested for PFM and FN using the pneumatic repeated load system under constant stress at 20° C. The FN increased by 100 % after recycling, while the PD increased by fourfold at failure when the test was conducted under DFS. The HWTT indicated that the FN of AC after recycling declined by 25 % when compared with that of the RAP mixture. However, the PD of recycled AC at failure is higher than that of the RAP mixture by 200 %. Power mathematical models were obtained representing the rate of change in the FN of the AC mixture through fatigue life (FL) due to recycling with a soft binder. The obtained mathematical power regression models exhibited high coefficients of determination, which can provide a rough guide to be implemented for preliminary estimation of the quality of recycled RAP within the investigated material properties.

Active Protection of Corroded Steel Reinforcement Embedded in FRP-Wrapped Concrete

Kancharagunta Krishna Deep, Ayyagari Lakshmi Prasanna, Naga Sowjanya Pongunuru — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ignoring the fact that steel and concrete are among the building materials that are used in civil engineering more often than any other material, people are preoccupied with the lifetime of the material. This is due to the fact that reinforced concrete is one of the construction materials that has the lowest overall cost. The corrosion of steel in concrete is the most worrisome problem because it accelerates the degradation of concrete infrastructure and is the major driver of the problem. Other concerns include concrete structures that have been affected by corrosion, which undergo a gradual process of structural degradation comprising numerous distinct stages over the period of the structure’s service life. This process occurs throughout the lifespan of the structure. In reinforced concrete structures, corrosion is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to structural collapse. These phases include the onset of corrosion, cracking of concrete, excessive deflection, and finally, the collapse of the building as a consequence of the loss of structural strength. All of these stages lead to the last step, which is the collapse of the structure. Monitoring is being provided for an increasing number of concrete structures, with the goal of extending the useful life of these structures. A wide range of damage detection techniques, including explosive and nondestructive approaches, have been developed over the last several decades. This was performed to investigate the changes caused by corrosion.

Reliability Assessment of Pile Foundations in Saturated Sand Using Dual Criteria: Field Evidence from a Niger Delta Bridge Site

Eghosasere Oluwaseyi Rowland-Lato, Ogbe J. A. — Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Traditional pile foundation design in saturated sand typically focuses on bearing-capacity failure and uses a single factor of safety (FOS). However, this approach may not ensure reliable performance against settlement at the same design load. This study measures the difference between these two criteria using the First-Order Reliability Method (FORM), which is checked with Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS). These methods are to Standard Penetration Test (SPT) N-values from two 30-metre boreholes at the Omoku-Okpasimini Bridge site in Rivers State, Nigeria. Reliability indices are calculated for pile diameters from 200 to 600 mm and FOS values between 2.0 and 6.0 for both bearing capacity and settlement. The results show a clear difference. At FOS = 2.0, the bearing capacity reliability index (β = 4.28) exceeds the Eurocode 7 target (β = 3.8), but the settlement reliability index (β = −1.37) indicates a failure probability of over 91%. To meet the EN 1990 serviceability target (β ≥ 1.5), a minimum FOS of 4.0 is needed. To meet the Eurocode 7 ultimate limit state (ULS) target (β ≥ 4.0), the pile diameter must be at least 350 mm. Pile geometry has little effect on settlement reliability, which depends more on axial load and soil stiffness. Regression-based design equations are developed for both criteria, enabling engineers to size piles to meet target reliability without a full probabilistic analysis. These results suggest that using a single FOS is insufficient for pile foundations in Niger Delta saturated sands, and the study offers a reliability-based design approach applicable to similar deltaic areas.