Articles in This Issue
Abstract
This experimental investigation evaluates the structural behavior of reinforced concrete slab-column connections incorporating columns with square and circular cross-sectional geometries under gravity and lateral cyclic loading. Four interior slab-column specimens were designed, fabricated, and tested, with identical slab dimensions of 1050×1050×80 mm and a column height of 500 mm. The circular columns were intended to have an equivalent second moment of inertia to the square column, ensuring a fair comparison of geometric effects. One specimen identified as SC-G, incorporating a square column, was tested under a progressively increasing vertical load to determine its maximum gravity load-bearing capacity. The remaining three specimens SC-2 with a square tied column, SC-9 with a circular spirally-reinforced column, and SC-10 with a circular column incorporating a column capital were tested under a constant gravity load equivalent to 60% of SC-G’s ultimate capacity (75 kN), combined with a lateral displacement protocol conforming to ACI 374 guidelines. Results indicated that the shape of the column (circular) and reinforcement (spiral) in SC-9 produces a comparatively higher ultimate load, stiffness, and ductility than SC-2 of the square column and tied reinforcement. The ultimate lateral load increase was +13.3%, -26.1%. Circular spiral columns with column capital in slab-column connections led to a noticeable rise in ultimate lateral load by about +62%, -80%. It was also shown that incorporating a column capital in SC-10 significantly enhanced the punching shear resistance and energy dissipation capacity. Circular columns demonstrated more stable hysteretic behavior and improved ductility compared to the square column specimen.
Abstract
This research reviews existing literature on RC beams strengthened techniques for shear. Research indicates that fiber-reinforced polymers (FRP) are best utilized and effective materials to enhance RC beams. These materials have corrosion resistance and exceptional strength. The strengthening of reinforced beams by FRP depends on the nature of fiber, arrangement, materials, and manner of strengthening. The current article analyzes the properties, advantages, and applications the FRP composites. In addition to the mechanisms of failure, properties, and behaviors of FRP-strengthened reinforced beams undergoing shear with various strengthening techniques such as EB, NSM, and ETS.
Abstract
A rapidly expanding global population has heightened the need for engineering technologies aimed to enhancing the mechanical properties of weak soil, raising concerns about the sustainability of engineering practices that depend on energy-intensive materials and methods from earlier times. Traditional ground improvement techniques like compaction, preloading, vibration, and chemical grouting are typically costly and frequently have very high energy and CO2 footprints. Soil stabilization employing bio-enzymes has been viewed as a resilient and ecologically beneficial method for modifying the soil characteristics. Calcite-induced precipitation methods have recently become potential techniques in geotechnical engineering for improving the shear strength of soils. One of the most promising methods among them is enzyme-induced calcite precipitation (EICP). Enzyme induced calcite precipitation (EICP) is a bio-inspired technique based on the precipitation of calcium carbonate for enhancing the geo-mechanical properties of soils. In this technique, calcium carbonate acts as a cementitious agent that binds the soil particles together at the points of contact hence, increasing the strength and stiffness of treated soils, while relatively reducing the soil permeability and porosity. The achieved enhancements make EICP useful for applications such as ground improvement, construction materials, and erosion control over traditional binders. It is an environmental friendly technique that has generated great interest to geotechnical engineers. EICP particularly, has proven to be more effective since its application to all soils coarse and fine which have small pore size. This review thoroughly assesses the use of the EICP approach as a soil stabilization strategy conducted by various researchers. This review article studies urease and its implication on the characteristics of treated soil such as shear strength, permeability and micro-structural changes.
Abstract
This paper proposes Smart Adjustable Traffic light Time System (SATTS), a cloud-based IoT network model with a central management architecture by using cloud based IoT. The model innovates an algorithm to gather data from IoT devices connected to the sensors network to enable efficient traffic management in smart city appliances. SATTS scheme adjusts the green light period at intersections to alleviate traffic congestion and minimize delays and keep vehicle’s traffic conservation. The mentioned model has been proposed to modifying the timing of green lights at the four ways intersection based on the vehicles arrival rate. The results verified by comparing SATTS with Fixed time Traffic light System (FTS) and Variable Traffic light System (VTS) models, and showed that the proposed schemes can effectively decreases delay and traffic congestion. On average, there is a reduction in the rate of number of waiting cars compared to the arriving cars of 33% in cycle 2 and 50% in cycle 3 for VTS, and 52% in cycle 2 and 75% in cycle 3 for SATT compared to FTS. SATTS minimizes delay time between the four lines of the intersection.
Abstract
The current study focuses on utilizing machine learning (ML) models in optimizing and predicting laser-induced surface cold hardening in aluminum alloy 6061-O using a pulsed fiber laser. Three input features were utilized: power density (Pd), frequency (f), and pulse overlap (OV), with surface hardness as the matching aim. A set of ML models, including XGBoost and Adaptive Ensemble, was employed. The dataset was preprocessed for normalization and outlier handling, hyperparameter tuning, and assessment through the grid search and cross-validation, and model performance was evaluated using the coefficient of determination (R²) and mean square error (MSE) metrics. The Linear regression and Random Forest regression models were excluded due to their weakness in performance, exhibiting noticeable enhancement in performance of the ensemble. After excluding weak models, the results of XGBoost and Adaptive Ensemble models demonstrated great results of R2/MSE of 0.970/0.774 and 0.949/1.319, respectively. The XGBoost model occupied the first order, followed by the Adaptive Ensemble model, in improving the predictive accuracy to around 96% compared to other models.
Abstract
The mechanical behavior of multilayer FRCMs was tested, and the effects of fibers, types of fiber, and laminates on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties were discussed. The vacuum bagging method is a composite manufacturing process that uses atmospheric pressure to consolidate laminate layers, remove excess resin, and get rid of air bubbles. This makes high-quality, void-free composites. Four composite systems were made using this method: natural fiber composites reinforced with sheep wool and goat hair fibers, and synthetic fiber composites reinforced with carbon and glass fibers, all with an epoxy resin (LR620) and hardener (LH620) system. All composite assemblies have been systematically characterized at different layer configurations (3-6 layers considered) for the best structural response. The tensile, flexural, and impact properties were tested by following the corresponding ASTM (D638, D790, D6110) standards, respectively. The tensile and flexural results of the carbon fiber composite (GCT, GCB series) showed excellent mechanical performance (maximum tensile strength of 283 MPa for GCT4 and flexural strength of 164 MPa for GCB5) with high load-carrying capacity, but the failure was brittle. Goat hair composites exhibited excellent impact resistance (GHI4: 1.255 J) and moderate tensile strength (36 MPa), which indicated superior energy absorption capacity. The glass fiber composites showed a good balance of mechanical properties with increased ductility, where the tensile strength was 245 MPa, and a large deflection capacity was reached (14.683 mm). The study demonstrates that 4-layer setups usually result in the highest tensile properties, while 5–6-layer setups improve the flexural strength. These results add to the knowledge of optimization of multilayer composite design, and they are very useful for materials selection in aerospace, automotive, and structural applications.
Abstract
Battery life is the hard constraint for massive Internet-of-Things (IoT) at 6G scale. Wake-up radios (WuRs)—ultra-low-power auxiliary receivers that “listen” for short wake-up signals while the main transceiver sleeps—offer orders-of-magnitude energy savings, but suffer from false wake-ups, long tail latency under bursty traffic, and sensitivity/coverage limits. This paper proposes an end-to-end AI-optimized WuR stack that combines (i) a TinyML classifier embedded in the WuR path to suppress false triggers and adapt detection thresholds, and (ii) a reinforcement-learning (RL) scheduler at the base station or gateway that co-optimizes wake-up signaling with 3GPP NR DRX/C-DRX timers. The proposed method, tested using a trace-driven simulator calibrated with published WuR power/latency figures, the approach reduces node-average energy by 41–72% versus strong baselines, while meeting 99% latency targets and cutting false wake-ups by >80%.
Abstract
Plastic pollution represents a significant global environmental challenge, with millions of tons of plastic waste accumulated annually in landfills and natural ecosystems. The COVID-19 pandemic intensified this issue due to the widespread use of single-use personal protective equipment. As a response to this problem, this study examines the use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate and single-use face masks as additives in porous asphalt mixtures to improve the mixtures’ properties and promote sustainability in pavement engineering. The research aimed to evaluate the combined effect of incorporating recycled polymers into a hybrid system, rather than separately modified mixtures of polyethylene terephthalate and single-use face mask fibers. Laboratory tests indicated that the hybrid mixture exhibited optimal performance, achieving a 34% increase in Marshall stability, a 19% decrease in flow, and a 20% reduction in air-void content. Additionally, permeability decreased by 36%, while remaining within the accepted limit, improving moisture susceptibility, and cantabro abrasion losses decreased by up to 11%, suggesting improvements in cohesion, structure, and durability. The findings demonstrate that hybrid polymer modification offers an environmentally sustainable and high-performance approach for future porous asphalt pavements.
Abstract
This study evaluates the performance of cement mortar incorporating micro silica (MS) and thermally treated date seed ash (DS) as sustainable partial cement replacements, in line with the demand for improved construction materials that utilize available resources. In the absence of an understanding of the behavior resulting from combining MS and DS within a hybrid replacement system particularly regarding how different blending ratios influence mortar performance and mix integrity. To achieve this, five mixtures were prepared with a total replacement level of 20% including three hybrid blends and were assessed through flowability, compressive strength, sorptivity, dry density, water absorption, and Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) tests. Predictive models have also been developed to estimate chloride and sulfate penetration based on physical and non-destructive indicators. The results showed that the hybrid mixture MS15–DS5 demonstrated the most notable enhancement compared to the control mix, achieving a 6% increase in compressive strength a 42% reduction in sorptivity and clear increases in dry density and pulse velocity indicating a more compact internal structure. The MS10–DS10 mixture also exhibited improved behavior, though to a lesser degree. In contrast, increasing the DS content led to performance deterioration, where MS5–DS15 showed reduced strength and higher sorptivity and DS20 presented the weakest response, with an 8% reduction in compressive strength and a 32% increase in sorptivity. The predictive models also demonstrated high accuracy achieving R2 of 0.989 and 0.983 for chloride and sulfate penetration, respectively, supporting their ability to estimate future behavior based on physical properties. These results provide a clearer understanding of how combining MS and DS influences mortar behavior and mix integrity, and they contribute to the development of sustainable cementitious mixtures with improved performance when appropriate replacement levels are selected.
Abstract
Functionally graded materials were created using laser-directed energy deposition technology. This work examines how different mixing ratios of Stainless Steel 316L and Inconel 625 affect the relative density and porosity of these materials. Twelve samples were created using a constant laser power of 600 W, three different laser scan speeds (20, 25, and 30 mm/s), and four different SS316L/IN625 transition ratios (85%/15%, 60%/40%, 40%/60%, and 15%/85%). To determine the volumetric distribution across the compositional gradients, the porosity and relative density measurements were taken. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were used for microstructural analytical characterization to differentiate between compositional gradients in grain shape and phase distribution. The mechanical performance was examined using microhardness measures, namely the Vickers method. This study applied to prove the process parameters and compositional transformations to the resulting microstructural features and mechanical properties, providing insight into optimizing the laser-directed energy deposition-manufactured functionally graded materials for advanced performance. The best graded composition was found that gives the best overall performance based on experimental data.
Abstract
Autonomous vehicles (AVs) rely on continuous vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-everything (V2E) communication to support shared perception, traffic direction, and decision making. Integrating real-time data, connectivity, and precise navigation will revolutionize urban mobility by facilitating sustainable, secure, and highly efficient transportation options. The rapid evolution of AVs within smart cities necessitates robust and secure data transmission methods to ensure efficient and safe operations. This paper proposes a next-generation communication framework that integrates blockchain with artificial intelligence (AI) to enable secure, decentralized, and adaptive AVs network. Blockchain is employed as a distributed trust layer to ensure data immutability, decentralized identity management, and transparent transaction validation among vehicles and roadside infrastructure. AI techniques are incorporated to support intelligent threat detection, dynamic resource allocation, anomaly identification, and context-aware decision making. The integration between blockchain and AI enhances trust establishment while maintaining system scalability and real-time responsiveness. The proposed architecture introduces a layered design that separates communication, consensus, and intelligence components, allowing efficient integration with edge computing and 5G-enabled vehicular environments. This research contributes a unified conceptual framework for secure and intelligent autonomous vehicle communication, highlighting how blockchain and AI can jointly address critical limitations in next-generation vehicular networks and support the evolution of trustworthy, resilient, and scalable smart mobility ecosystems.
Abstract
Functionally graded materials (FGM) are a category of composite materials distinguished by specific design attributes that allow them to serve various purposes and applications. This study used FGM samples made from carbon particles and a polyester matrix to manufacture micro-shapes and study the changes in vibration characteristics at different parameters. The manufactured samples contained different weight percentages, ranging from 0% to 20%, and a subsequent step involved manufacturing two different grades of FGM samples: one consisting of five layers and the other of eleven layers. The free vibration characteristics of the FGM structure were determined experimentally and numerically. The effect of varying several parameters on the natural frequency was monitored, including the number of FGM layers, thickness, and gradient coefficient. The Ansys Workbench (version 2022 R1) was used to analyze free vibration to verify the experimental results. Vibration testing of square FGM panels showed that the natural frequency increased with the number of layers. Improving the thickness of the panels also resulted in increased natural frequency values, when changing the thickness from 5mm to 10mm increases the natural frequency by an amount of 173.34 Hz at 11 layers. Model analysis using finite element analysis (FEA) tools confirmed the validity of the experimental solution, with a maximum discrepancy of 9.72%. Based on numerical calculations, the natural frequency coefficient decreased with increasing power law index under different boundary conditions and increased with increasing number of constraints in the sample.
Abstract
This research investigates the influence of single and hybrid mineral nanofillers on the morphological, thermal, and electrical properties of epoxy-based glass fiber composites. Nanocomposites were fabricated using hand lay-up technique, incorporating nano-calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) and nano-talc with particle size of 50 to 100 nm into an epoxy matrix with 5-ply E-glass/S-glass fiber. The study evaluates composites with 2-8 wt% of nano-CaCO₃, and hybrid systems containing nano-CaCO₃ (2-8 wt%) and nano-talc (1-4 wt%). Morphological analysis via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) assessed nanofiller dispersion, while thermal properties were analyzed using Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) for glass transition temperature (Tg). Electrical performance was evaluated through dielectric breakdown voltage (ASTM D149) and surface resistivity (ASTM D257). SEM analysis showed filler dispersion depended on concentration, with optimal distribution at 4-6 wt% before significant agglomeration at higher concentrations. DSC results revealed increased Tg with nanofillers, peaking for the composite with 6 wt% CaCO₃ and 3 wt% talc, indicating enhanced thermal stability. The dielectric breakdown voltage peaked at 17.6 kV for 2 wt% CaCO₃ and 1 wt% talc composite, while surface resistivity was highest for 4 wt% CaCO₃ and 2 wt% talc (73.74×1012Ω). All formulations maintained UL 94 V-1 flammability rating. The study concludes that the synergistic interaction between nano-CaCO₃ and nano-talc enables significant tailoring of thermal and electrical properties for advanced applications.
Abstract
Photovoltaic (PV) systems have gained importance as one of the major renewable energy technologies because of its clean and sustainable characteristics; however, PV nonlinear current-voltage and power-voltage characteristics are a significant factor in limiting the maximum available power determined by the amount of available power under different environmental and load conditions. Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) algorithms are one of the most important performance enhancements to help make PV energy conversion systems more efficient and reliable. Conventional MPPT techniques such as Perturb and Observe (P&O) have been widely used due to their simple and easy implementation in terms of control strategies, however, they exhibit steady-state oscillations, slow convergence, and poor dynamic performance under fast changing conditions of irradiation and load. To overcome these limitations, validation of intelligent and bio-inspired optimization and MPPT algorithms have attracted a great deal of interest. This paper includes a comprehensive comparative analysis of three MPPT techniques that are: conventional P&O algorithm, Grey Wolf Optimization algorithm (GWO), and Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization algorithm (TLBO). A detailed model of PV system coupled with dc-dc boost converter is built in Matlab/Simulink and the algorithms are tested with a constant irradiation and variable load and with simultaneous irradiation and load variation. Performance criteria like tracking performance, speed of convergence, steady state oscillations and robustness under dynamic conditions are analyzed. Based on the simulation results it is proven that both GWO and TLBO clearly outperforms the conventional P&O algorithm. Amongst all the optimization-based approaches, TLBO provides good performance with near-instantaneous convergence, minimum oscillations and consistent tracking efficiency is close to 100% for all the tested scenarios. The results prove that TLBO-based MPPT offers solid and computationally efficient solution for real world applications of PV systems especially in those with frequent and random operating condition variation environment.
Abstract
Lately, nanotechnology has made significant advancements in various scientific and medical fields, including dentistry, by developing nanoparticles with distinct chemical and physical properties. Green synthesis is considered an eco-friendly alternative and a safe and sustainable method compared to conventional chemical and physical synthesis methods, which often contain toxic and environmentally harmful materials. This method is also cost-effective, biocompatible, and consumes less energy, thereby reducing pollution and environmental hazards, and making it suitable for various biomedical applications. Many nanoparticles have been employed in dentistry to enhance preventive treatments, including dental implants, orthodontics, the treatment of tooth decay bacteria, and endodontics. Despite their numerous benefits in the dental field, nanoparticles can exhibit toxicity risks, long-term impacts, and limited stability that require further investigation before their use in clinical applications. This review analyzes and classifies over 70 studies from the past 10 years based on plant extract source, nanoparticle types, and dental applications. We offer a new classification framework that organizes nanoparticles synthesized using green methods according to their manufacturing process and functional applications in dentistry. Comparative analysis reveals that, for instance, zinc oxide and silver nanoparticles synthesized through a green process exhibit the highest antibacterial activity with low toxicity. This review highlights current research gaps in biostability and toxicity, and provides insights into potential clinical applications and future research directions. It focuses on the role and benefits of the green method in improving the properties of nanoparticles, as well as its impact and effectiveness in developing dental materials and mitigating biological risks, opening up broad and new horizons in advanced dental treatments.
Abstract
This study focuses on reuse of biowaste material locally available as spend coffee to synthesis high surface area biochar and evaluate its potential to remove dyes with acidic and basic in nature, as Acid Fuchsin and Methylene Blue dyes. The biochar was fabricated using chemical activation with various concentrating (20, 30, 50) vol. % of phosphoric acid (H3PO4). The pyrolysis process carried out in a tubular furnace under flow of nitrogen (N2) at 600°C for 3 hours. The final prepped biochar was analyzed using various techniques such as XRD, SEM, FTIR, TGA, EDX, N2-adsorption, BET, and pore volume (Vpore). Furthermore, batch adsorption experiments were conducted to remove Acid Fuchsin and Methylene Blue dyes from aqueous solutions under different variables of pH of solution (2-8), contact time (0-240) min, initial dye concentration (20-200) ppm, and weight of dosage (0.1-0.5) g/L. The results show that the best surface area and pore volume has been archived for the prepared biochar at 30% H3PO4 concentration were (1385.269 m2/g and 1.12 cm3/g) respectively. As well as, the maximum removal percentage was 92.5% for Fuchsin dye and 90% for Methylene Blue dye achieved at 180 minutes of adsorbing time, with maximum removal achieved with initial dye concentration of 20 ppm, 6.5 pH solution, and 0.3 g/L adsorbent. The study found that Freundlich isotherm and kinetic adsorption models fit well with the batch experimental data, which indicates homogenous distribution and limiting active sites with adsorption capacity (384.61) mg/g and (357.14) mg/g for Acid Fuchsin and Methylene Blue dyes, respectively. While, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model indicates a physic-sorption is the limiting step.
Abstract
Primary healthcare institutions are highly important socio-technical systems, where infrastructure, digital technologies, and service delivery processes collaborate to establish service resilience and performance. Digital systems and sustainable infrastructure may not be integrated as well in a limited environment with resources, which may lead to reduced system robustness and efficiency. This paper is a systematic digital systems and infrastructure evaluation of the process of providing primary healthcare in Paschim Bardhaman District, India, through an engineering-based, multi-criteria analysis framework._x000D_ Cross-sectional engineering analysis was carried out on 25 Primary Health Centers (PHCs) chosen based on the rural and semi-urban settings. They have developed a composite system performance index by incorporating five domains of engineering, namely infrastructure robustness, operational workflow efficiency, outcome performance, digital systems readiness (ICT), and environmental sustainability systems. Information was gathered based on formal auditing of facilities, check of readiness of ICT equipment and software, field observation of operations and review of documents. Domain-specific scores were also summed up to create a Composite Quality and Resilience Index (CQRI). Statistical analyses were made to provide measures of description, correlation analysis and comparative testing between rural and semi-urban facilities._x000D_ Findings showed that there was moderate system performance (mean CQRI = 1.21 ± 0.24) and there was high inter-facility difference. The positive correlation of infrastructure robustness and the efficiency of operational workflow were found to be strong with composite system performance (r = 0.67 and r = 0.74, respectively). The readiness to digital systems, and environmental sustainability scored relatively low, which points out to the underutilization of ICT infrastructure, lack of telemedicine adoption, and the integration of renewable energy sources. The composite performance of semi-urban PHCs was much better than that of rural facilities (p < 0.05), which highlights the importance of infrastructure accessibility and digital connectivity to system resilience._x000D_ The results show that integration of digital systems and infrastructure design that is sustainable are important engineering determinants of resilient primary healthcare delivery. The suggested composite assessment framework can be used as a scalable engineering-based tool to estimate and optimize the performance of low-resource healthcare infrastructure in supporting the resilience of the system and its long-term sustainability and efficiency in delivering the services.
Abstract
This study establishes a risk aware, multi objective methodology to select diesel plastic fuel α-terpineol blends that deliver robust engine performance across operating loads in a common rail direct injection diesel engine. Heterogeneous responses brake thermal efficiency, brake specific fuel consumption, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, smoke, and exhaust gas temperature are mapped to a unitless desirability scale and aggregated by load. Conditional Value at Risk across loads then prioritizes worst case behavior. By Conditional Value at Risk at level 0.20, the ranking is: diesel 0.242, diesel plastic fuel with 15% α-terpineol 0.197, 10% α-terpineol is 0.177, 5% α-terpineol is 0.157, diesel plastic fuel is 0.141, waste plastic fuel is 0.081. Relative to neat diesel plastic fuel, worst-case performance improves by 11% at 5% α-terpineol, 26% at 10% α-terpineol, and 40% at 15% α-terpineol, with the 100% load consistently governing the tail. Average brake specific fuel consumption decreases from 0.4553 to 0.4217 kg/kWh at 15% α-terpineol, average exhaust gas temperature falls from 321.4 to 293.0°C. Duty map mean oxides of nitrogen reduce from 512 to 474 ppm, hydrocarbons fall from 42.67 to 35.73 ppm. At full load, carbon monoxide declines from 0.52 to 0.46 %vol., and smoke opacity decreases from 52.28 to 49.71%. Within the tested window, 15% α-terpineol in diesel plastic fuel is the risk aware first choice, with 10% α-terpineol a near optimal alternative. The methodology remains stable under risk aversion and weighting changes at high-load calibration.
Abstract
The introduction of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in medical care is becoming an acknowledged challenge in the framework of engineering systems, in which the level of computational readiness, the integration of the infrastructure, the level of user competence, and the limitations of the ethical aspect play a role. The paper analyzes the most important engineering predictors of a readiness to use AI in Indian hospitals, which are assessed using correlation and multiple linear regression frameworks._x000D_ There was a structured survey on 120 healthcare workers and 20 deep interviews with experts to evaluate system-level perceptions and institutional preparedness. The results of regression showed that the model is well fitted (R 2 = 0.61, p < 0.001) with Perceived Usefulness (= 0.43), Infrastructure Availability (= 0.38) and AI Training Exposure ( = 0.26) identified as significant and positive predictors of AI adoption readiness. The Ethical Concern Scores (β = -0.32) had a significant negative impact, highlighting the importance of governance as an important constraint of the system._x000D_ These findings were reinforced by qualitative thematic analysis, which identified interoperability challenges, lack of computational training, data governance oversights, and infrastructure vulnerability as significant engineering limitations. The respondents positively indicated the conditional acceptance of AI on the basis of the explainable model transparency, as well as the system of institutional AI training._x000D_ The research adds a new regression-tested engineering preparedness pathway to AI implementation in Low- and Middle-Income Country (LMIC) hospital setting, suggesting system interface, capacity formation, and ethical algorithm control as the main keystones on the sustainable AI implementation in Indian healthcare.
Abstract
The standardization and preprocessing decisions determine the performance, reproducibility and generalizability of Artificial Intelligence (AI) models in cervical spine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). In this research, the author suggests a six-step standardized preprocessing pipeline that can help with the reliable analysis of heterogeneous MRI data using AI. It is obtained by the pipeline based on recurrent methodological patterns found in the literature, focusing on the operations reported to stabilize image intensity distribution and reduce unwanted sources of variability. A systematic literature review was screened on 2,882 records, and 43 articles were included per the inclusion criteria. Due to the large variability of imaging procedures, preprocessing plans, and reported outcomes metrics, no quantitative meta-analysis was performed and a qualitative synthesis was done. Basic methods such as segmentation, denoising, intensity normalization, augmentation, bias-field correction were consistently reported to improve AI performance. Studies evaluating tasks such as normalization and automated segmentation reported accuracies of 94% to 99.95%. Moreover, less-specific harmonization methods like Combatting Batch Effects (ComBat), z-score normalization and histogram matching, and Generative Adversarial Network (GAN)-based ones were also often attributed with lower scanner- and site-based variations. Regardless of these improvements, the AI workflow remains unstable because of the irregularity of predefined parameters, unequal standards of acquisition, and lack of methodological reporting. In efforts to deal with such challenges, the current work proposes a methodical six-stage preprocessing model that consists of quality control, noise removal, intensity normalization, anatomical segmentation, harmonization and validation. The suggested workflow model offers a practical and transparent basis of clinically translatable AI usage in cervical spine MRI based on conventional mathematical equations and clear documentation.