This study considers 12 pervious concrete mixes incorporating 100% recycled coarse aggregate from old concrete demolition waste and containing various amounts of natural fine aggregate and date palm leaves fibers. First, the properties of the recycled aggregate in terms of their particle size distribution, abrasion resistance, crushing values, specific gravity and water absorption are obtained. Next, the pervious concrete density, compressive strength, tensile strength, permeability and porosity are determined by experimental testing following the relevant standards. The results are analyzed and compared to determine the influence of using recycled coarse aggregate in the mixtures and the impact of the amount of natural sand and volume fraction of the fibers on the mechanical properties, permeability and porosity of the concrete. Findings of the study showed that the use of recycled coarse aggregate in pervious concrete without fine aggregate reduced the compressive strength by 36% and tensile strength by 57%. Replacing 11.7% of the recycled coarse aggregate with natural sand and adding date palm leaves fibers in an amount equivalent to 0.64% volumetric content to such concrete helped increase the compressive strength by 16.2% and tensile strength by 3.2% above the corresponding strengths of the control mix. There is a clear relationship between permeability and porosity due to their correlation with the density of pervious concrete, and the effect of porosity on tensile strength is more influential than it is on the compressive strength. An equation that can predict the tensile strength of pervious concrete from the compressive strength is proposed, as a function of the natural fine aggregate fraction of the coarse aggregate and volumetric content of natural fibers. Results of the research confirm the feasibility of using recycled aggregate in pervious concrete mixes and the positive impact of natural fibers on the mechanical properties.  Pervious concrete (PC), also known as porous or permeable concrete, is a structural type of concrete that possesses a relatively large void content ranging between 15 and 35%, which allows fluids and gases to pass through them, thus eliminating ponding potential on the surface. The high permeability of PC has a somewhat negative effect on the mechanical properties, which can be improved by adding fibers. Ideal usage of PC can be found in road pavements, parking areas and walkways. Such applications reduce stormwater runoff and regenerate the groundwater at a faster rate than usual, which makes the material sustainable and environmentally friendly. The use of pervious pavements dates back to the time of the Roman Empire when the builders used cobble and flag stones with voids in between them to enable falling rain to leak through the road to the underground. Later on, the first concept of embedding porosity in paving stones was introduced in the 1800s in European cities, which appreciated the need for a stormwater runoff solution in highly populated areas that receive a lot of rain annually. After the Second World War, permeable paving started appearing on roadways in North America after such type of construction was looked at favorably by environmental agencies. Nowadays, this pavement system has become widely accepted around the world for solving water runoff problems in place of traditional drainage due to its practicality, economy and eco-friendly nature [In addition to providing a solution to the stormwater runoff problem and recharging aquifers at high rates, PC offers a variety of benefits such as the elimination of drainage systems, safer vehicle drivability during rain, assisting plant roots to grow into trees, and filtering dirty storm water. The drawbacks include weaker concrete, the need for longer curing time, a requirement for specialized contractors, a lack of comprehensive design standards, and the necessity for periodic cleaning of clogged pores.3. Geopolymers, supplementary cementitious materials and admixtures can often be utilized in the production of PC. The resulting concrete typically has 3–30 MPa compressive strength and 0.5–4 MPa tensile strength, containing interconnected pores with a size of 2–8 mm which often corresponds to a 80–750 L/minute/m2 drainage rate [In general, PC possess almost no slump and can be produced with moderate size coarse aggregate ranging 9.5–12.5 mm and a very limited amount of fine aggregate, with water-to-cement ratios commonly varying between 0.30 and 0.40. The resulting mass density of PC is much smaller than that of conventional concrete, normally ranging between 1400 and 2000 kg/mAlthough the utilization of coarse recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) from demolition waste in PC mixes enhances the sustainability traits of such concrete by reducing the amount of waste dumped in landfills and protecting natural resources, it can have an adverse effect on its strength and impact on its density and permeability. In particular, the source and condition of the recycled aggregate play an important role with regard to whether the influence of the aforementioned aggregate on the fresh and hardened properties of concrete are mild or severe. To help improve the mechanical properties of PC utilizing RCA, fibers can be added to the concrete mixture. Including fibers in concrete decreases the cracking openings and propagation, increases the tensile strength, and enhances the overall energy absorption and integrity. Although in recent years there have been extensive studies on concrete utilizing steel, glass, or other synthetic fibers, applicable research on natural fibers still lags behind. The use of natural fibers, such as wood, coconut, bamboo or date palm leaves, in construction materials has a great advantage because fibers are locally present in abundance, can be economically processed, do not require high energy to produce, and have minimal negative impacts on the environment.A comprehensive literature review on the subject, presented in the next section, showed limited research work has been conducted concerning PC made with recycled materials and including natural fibers. This scarcity of publications on the subject could be because of the high variability associated with recycled concrete due to the influence of the quality of the material being processed by the recycling plant. Therefore, this study is concerned with the investigation of the compressive and tensile strength properties, as well as the porosity and permeability characteristics, of PC made with locally produced coarse RCA in the UAE, with and without natural fibers from date palm trees, and comparing the response to that of corresponding PC made with coarse natural aggregate (NA). The implementation of date palm fibers (DPF) in the recycled concrete mixes greatly adds to the sustainability element of the study and helps in promoting the UAE’s 2050 vision initiative which aims at making the country the first nation within the region to achieve net-zero emissions by the year 2050.There is an abundance of published literature on the characteristics, mechanical properties and durability aspects of PC since this type of concrete has been developed some time ago. For example, there is available literature that addresses plain PC ,15,16,17Recent research on PC made with RCA includes the work of El-Hassan et al.  who showr et al.  used expr et al.  found thr et al.  observedr et al.  conclude3 exhibited highest strength in flexure of 3.42 MPa and in compression of 21.43 MPa. Juradin et al. [3 to pervious concrete increased the compressive strength by 39%, reduced the flexural strength by 17%, lowered the permeability coefficient by 42%, and reduced the porosity by 35% when compared to control specimens. Results of a study by Ozel et al. [The use of fibers or geogrids to enhance the properties of pervious concrete has been addressed in the available literature by some researchers. For example, Meng et al.  were abln et al.  reached n et al.  demonstrl et al.  showed t3 of polymer fibers, which was able to increase the strength by up to 25%. A study by Sangthongtong et al. [With respect to PC made with RCA and fibers, Aliabdo et al.  determing et al.  on the mg et al.  investigg et al.  includedThe previous summary of the literature on the subject suggests a scarcity of research on pervious concrete containing recycled materials and fibers. In particular, no studies exist on the implementation of natural fibers in the form of date palm leaves in pervious recycled concrete mixes. Hence, the study at hand can address this deficiency by filling the gap in the research on this important topic.In this study, the coarse aggregate used to make pervious concrete was obtained from Beeah’s recycling facility in Sharjah, UAE, which is a governmental company that currently accomplishes a diversion rate of more than 76% of the solid municipal, cellulous, construction, marine, metal, plastic, and sewerage waste it receives . The ConVisual examination of the recycled coarse aggregate revealed some differences from one batch to another, and when compared with the natural aggregate. While the majority of the recycled aggregate appeared to come from crushed reinforced concrete members, there were some impurities in the form of mortar sticking to the surface of some of the aggregate particles, inferior materials such as fragments of masonry, and debris in the form of tiny wood and plastic pieces.The specific gravity and water absorption properties for the coarse aggregate employed in the study were determined following the requirements of ASTM C-29  and are 2 (20.5%), Al2O3 (4.7%), Fe2O2 (4.0%), CaO (64.1%), MgO (1.8%), SO3 (2.4%), Na2O (0.58%) and LOI (1.5%).Locally produced Portland cement was used in the mixtures without other cementitious materials such as fly ash or ground granulated blast-furnace slag. The main chemical composition of the cement used in the study consisted of SiO3, cement is 270–415 kg/m3, coarse aggregate is 1190–1480 kg/m3, fine aggregate is 0–1050 kg/m3, fine-to-coarse aggregate ratio is 0:1–1:1, and coarse aggregate-to-cement ratio is 4:1–4.5:1. In this study, 12 different mix designs were produced with a water content of 110 kg/m3, cement of 356 kg/m3, coarse aggregate ranging from 1430 to 1599 kg/m3, fine aggregate between 0 and 169 kg/m3, and volumetric fiber content in the 0.0–0.7% range. The mix design of the pervious concrete is conducted according to the ACI 522.1, Specification for Construction of Pervious Concrete Pavement . In a ty3, tensile strength around 39.1 MPa, Young’s modulus roughly about 6.4 GPa, and elongation at breaking point reaching 1.06%. It should be noted that tests on the compressive and tensile strengths of fiber-reinforced pervious concrete in this study, discussed in detail later in the paper, showed that the fibers did not fail in tension even at the onset of collapse of the concrete; instead, they simply de-bonded from the surrounding aggregate before slipping. The natural fibers that were used in the mixes came from the untreated leaves of local date palm trees in the UAE, shown in 3. The mix designation has the form RX-FA/CAY-Z, in which X denotes the recycled aggregate replacement percentage with regard to the natural coarse aggregate (X = 0 or 100), Y denotes the natural fine aggregate to coarse aggregate percentage (Y = 0–11.7%), and Z denotes the volumetric percentage of the date leaves fibers in the concrete mix (Z = 0–0.64%).Details of the 12 mix design proportions of the pervious concrete considered in this research are summarized in To improve the bond between the aggregate and cement paste, a small amount of cement (<5% by mass) with coarse aggregate was dry mixed for 1 min until completely coated before adding the water. Afterwards, the remaining cement, water and other materials were added and mixed for 3 min, allowed to rest for another 3 min and then mixed for an additional 2 min before casting in the cylindrical molds. The compaction on the molded specimens was conducted using a vibrating table where the mixture was placed in three layers and each layer was compacted by vibration for 5 s. The use of tamping and rodding for compaction was avoided because it was difficult to utilize in such low slump pervious concrete, it could have damaged the date palm fibers within the mix, and such an action could have disturbed the uniform dispersion of the fibers within the concrete mixture. After 24 h, the samples were de-molded and cured for a week according to ASTM C-192 . Each ofThe compressive strength of the pervious concrete was determined using a compression machine by determining the maximum stress that the cylindrical specimens can support while standing up on its base prior to collapse at a loading rate of 0.25 MPa/second. The split cylinder tensile strength of the concrete was found by applying a load on the cylinder while it is sitting on its side through bearing strips at a rate equal to 0.1 MPa/second.To prepare concrete samples for the permeability tests, the 100 × 200 mm cylinders were incased in nylon with the insides submerged in silicone and then wrapped in tape to secure them and to prevent water from leaking from the sides of the cylinders. The top part of plastic drinking water bottles was then wrapped around the top and bottom of the cylinders to allow water to go through the intake to the cylinder and out without dripping. The permeability of the specimens was determined using the falling head test scheme. The average coefficient of permeability (k) for each of the 12 concrete mixes considered was then determined for 700 mm water fall following Darcy’s law and assuming laminar flow. In this section, results from the experimental testing of the hardened concrete considered in the study regarding the compressive strength, split tensile strength, permeability and porosity are provided. The effects of using recycled coarse aggregate, adding natural fine aggregate and incorporating date palm leaves fibers in the concrete mixtures on the properties of pervious concrete are included and discussed. The compressive strength of 150 mm × 300 mm concrete cylinders at the age of 28 days is determined by concentrically loading the specimens along a line perpendicular to its circular cross-section while being placed vertically on its base inside a compression machine. The test results are shown in The effect of replacing the natural coarse aggregate with recycled aggregate on the concrete compressive strength is obtained by comparing mixes 1 and 2 in To understand the effect of adding fine aggregate to pervious concrete mixtures on concrete strength, we examine the results of Mixes 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, which contain fine aggregate in varying amount (FA/RCA = 0–11.7%), without fibers. The findings are presented in Experience has shown that fiber addition to concrete mixes can have a positive effect on the concrete by averting sudden failure, improving the fracture energy, decreasing crack width, lessening volumetric changes with time, and increasing tensile strength. The effect of adding natural date palm leaves fibers on the compressive strength of recycled pervious concrete is demonstrated in this study by comparing the outcomes of mixes 3 and 4, mixes 5 and 6, and so on. The odd-numbered mixes contain no fibers while the even-numbered mixes include fibers. The volumetric ratio of the fibers in the concrete mixtures that contain fibers varies between 0.09% and 0.64%. While such percentages seem low, adding more fibers can adversely affect the workability of the fresh mix and bonding between the aggregate. Note that in this study, the addition of fibers is simultaneously accompanied with adding larger amounts of fine aggregate since higher volumetric ratios of fibers require more paste for the fibers to be anchored within; otherwise, they will slip from the aggregate while under high internal forces. Although the results of the study, shown in A split tensile strength test on a concrete cylinder is an indirect method to determine the tensile strength of concrete since the direct tension test has multiple drawbacks, such as unintended load eccentricity, strain nonuniformity and stress concentration at the specimen ends. The split tensile strength of 150 mm × 300 mm concrete cylinders at the age of 28 days is determined by loading the specimens along its length while being placed on its side inside a compression machine. The test results are shown in The influence of substituting the natural coarse aggregate with recycled aggregate on the split tensile strength of the pervious concrete is determined by comparing mixes 1 and 2 in To quantify the impact of adding fine aggregate to pervious concrete mixtures on their tensile strength, we compare the results of Mixes 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11, each of which include fine aggregate in varying amounts (FA/RCA = 0–11.7%), without fibers. The results that are shown in Published research on the incorporation of fibers into concrete mixes has consistently demonstrated the effectiveness of the fibers in bridging cracks caused by internal tensile stresses within the concrete, which not only increases the tensile strength of the material but also its ductility. The effect of adding natural date palm leaves fibers on the split tensile strength of recycled pervious concrete is shown in this study by comparing the strength of odd-numbered mixes (≥3) that do not contain fibers with their corresponding even-numbered mixes (≥4) that contain fibers. The relationship between the tensile and compressive strengths for the 10 pervious recycled concrete mixes that contain natural sand and fibers (Mixes 3–12) is presented in ρ, permeability, K, and porosity, Φ, of pervious concrete containing sand and fibers is investigated. Note that permeability is the rate of flow of fluid through concrete under a pressure gradient, whereas porosity is a measure of the volume of voids within the concrete. Both properties are affected by the density of the material. In this section, the density, 3 for Mix 2 without fine aggregate to 1947 kg/m3 for Mix 12 that contains fine aggregate equivalent to 11.7% of the coarse aggregate. Compared to traditional concrete, the considered pervious concrete in this study can be labeled as lightweight, since its mass density is way below that of normal weight concrete (about 2300 kg/m3). The increase in the amount of fine aggregate also impedes the flow of water through the concrete due to the decrease in the amount and size of voids within the concrete. Although the presence of date palm leaves fibers in the mixtures has minimal impact on the density, it has some influence on the permeability and porosity, which in this study is difficult to assess since the quantity of fibers and amount fine aggregate were combined in the mixes. As anticipated, the density of the concrete increases with the addition of the fine aggregate, from 1763 kg/mIn this section, the results presented earlier on the compressive strength, split tensile strength, density, permeability and porosity for the even-numbered mixes are further analyzed and potential correlations between the parameters are explored. Note that except for Mix 2, which does not contain fibers or fine aggregate, all other mixes contain fine aggregate and fibers of various amount, such that the ratio of the weight of the fine aggregate to that of fibers is kept almost constant (between 26.09 and 26.97).tf (MPa), from the compressive strength, λ is the lightweight concrete factor, which for concrete that has mass density, cw, between 1600 and 2160 kg/m3 can be obtained from:With regard to the strength parameters, the ACI 318 code  includesfV, and suitable constants, the following expression of the tensile strength as function of the compressive strength, By modifying Equation (1) to include factors that account for the fine-to-coarse aggregate fraction, FA/RCA, volumetric fiber content in the mix, tf)Theo is the tensile strength obtained by Equation (3) and (tf)Exp is the tensile strength obtained from the experimental testing. The outcome indicates that Equation (3) can reasonably predict the tensile strength of the pervious concrete considered in the study from the compressive strength, with a practical degree of conservatism.Validation of the proposed equation shown above for pervious concrete made with recycled concrete aggregate, fine aggregate and palm leaves fibers is illustrated in The correlation of permeability and porosity with the density of fiber-reinforced pervious recycled aggregate concrete is presented in The influence of porosity on strength properties of the fiber-reinforced pervious concrete considered in the study is shown in 100% replacement of natural coarse aggregate with recycled coarse aggregate from concrete demolition waste in pervious concrete mixes can reduce the compressive strength by 36% and the tensile strength by 57%.The addition of natural fine aggregate can help increase the density and enhance compressive and tensile strengths of pervious concrete. Adding fine aggregate equivalent to 11.7% of the recycled coarse aggregate in pervious concrete mixes can help restore the compressive and tensile strengths of the pervious concrete to the same level of pervious concrete made with 100% natural aggregate and without fine aggregate.While the influence of adding date palm leaves fibers to pervious concrete made with recycled coarse aggregate is minimal on the compressive strength, its effect on the tensile strength is reasonably high.The addition of fine natural aggregate and date palm leaves fibers in uniform amounts to pervious concrete mixtures that incorporate recycled coarse aggregate reduces the permeability and porosity of the hardened product.The tensile strength of pervious concrete utilizing recycled aggregate and natural aggregate and reinforced with date palm leaves fibers can be predicted from the compressive strength.There is a strong relationship between permeability and porosity since both parameters are approximately linearly correlated with the density of the concrete material.The impact of the porosity of pervious concrete made with recycled aggregate and containing date palm leaves fibers is more pronounced on the compressive strength than it is on the tensile strength.Results of this study on recycled pervious concrete that are reinforced with date palm leaves fibers lead to the following conclusions:Overall, results of the study demonstrated the feasibility of using locally produced recycled concrete coarse aggregate from demolition waste and the positive potential of implementing natural fibers from date palm leaves in pervious concrete mixes. While this study concentrated on the short-term mechanical properties and permeability aspects of the sustainable material, future studies on the subject may consider the long-term characteristics and durability attributes.


To introduce a management guideline for sepsis-related MET calls to increase lactate and blood culture acquisition, as well as prescription of appropriate antibiotics.Prospective before (Jun–Aug 2018) and after (Oct–Dec 2018) study was designed.A public university linked hospital in Melbourne, Australia.Adult patients with MET calls related to sepsis/infection were included.The primary outcome measure was the proportion of MET calls during which both a blood culture and lactate level were ordered. Secondary outcomes included the frequency with which new antimicrobials were commenced by the MET, and the presence and class of administered antimicrobials.There were 985 and 955 MET calls in the baseline and after periods, respectively. Patient features, MET triggers, limitations of treatment and disposition after the MET call were similar in both groups. Compliance with the acquisition of lactates (p = 0.101), respectively. There was a slight reduction in compliance with lactate acquisition in the after period . In contrast, there was a significant increase in acquisition of blood cultures in the after period .Introducing a sepsis management guideline and enhanced linkage with an AMS program increased blood culture acquisition and decreased broad spectrum antimicrobial use but didn't change in-hospital mortality. The aim was to investigate the effect of such guidelines on changes in the frequency of blood culture and serum lactate acquisitions and prescription of antibiotics during MET calls.2The Austin hospital is a 450-bed University-affiliated hospital in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The MET was introduced into the hospital in October 2000 and has been described in detail previously.For the patients with presumed sepsis, the health record was reviewed to identify the most extreme value for each of the vital signs in the 6 hr before and 6 hr after the activation of the MET call to evaluate whether and if the patient fulfilled the quick sequential organ failure assessment (qSOFA) criteria.The primary outcome measure was the proportion of MET calls, during which both a blood culture and a lactate level were ordered. Secondary outcomes included the frequency with which new antimicrobials were commenced by the MET and the presence and class of administered antimicrobials.Additional information regarding implementation and statistical analysis can be found in the supplementary files section under the ‘methods’ heading.3During the 6-months study period, there were 1940 MET calls, with 985 and 955 in the baseline and after periods . AlthougMET calls secondary to sepsis were present in 24.5% of MET calls overall; 26.2% in the baseline period; and 23.8% in the after period, respectively (p = 0.159). There was less physiological derangement in relation to oxygen saturations, respiratory rate, and heart rate in the after period. However, more patients in the after period had an impaired conscious state, and the measured lactate was higher see . Despite= 0.105) .Compliance with the acquisition of lactate and blood cultures was 69% in the before and 75% in the after periods (p = 0.101), respectively. There was a slight reduction in compliance with lactate acquisition in the after period . In contrast, there was a significant increase in acquisition of blood cultures in the after period . After the MET call, most patients were on antibiotics  with reduced prescriptions for broad-spectrum antibiotics .4The diagnosis of sepsis is a frequent occurrence in the hospital and is encountered by the MET frequently. Our study was developed to enhance sepsis care in ward patients by a structured approach during these calls. Lactate acquisition was high at the baseline, and more than two-thirds of patients had blood cultures taken during the baseline period. Therefore, no significant difference in overall compliance could be identified. There was an overall trend towards reduced broad-spectrum antibiotic use in the after period. To our knowledge, this is the largest study exploring issues around sepsis during MET calls.Our study has several limitations including before and after design, seasonal variation in MET activity and case-mix, presence of delay of MET activation, and differences of the severity of vital sign derangements between the two cohorts. Moreover, more patients were already on antibiotics at the time of the MET call in the baseline period. These factors may have affected both the frequency of presumed infections and outcomes, although the latter is not a (primary) outcome.Our exploratory study indicates that with a structured approach, changes can be made in sepsis management. Our study was not powered to assess for a change in patient outcomes. However, we believe that the guideline developed and having this at the point of care are readily generalisable to other institutions.Similar structured approaches could potentially be used for other serious conditions  encountered during MET calls. Future studies will need to focus on bringing decision support to increase overall compliance and escalation of care in case of refractory symptoms to more senior ICU doctors and analyse it's influence on relevant patient outcomes.5Our study shows that one quarter of MET calls were sepsis-related. We successfully developed a streamlined and structured guideline for managing septic MET calls, along with targeted education to members of the MET and the use of an online antimicrobial stewardship program. This approach resulted in enhanced blood culture acquisition and a reduction in broad-spectrum antibiotic usage.Jeroen Ludikhuize: Conceptualization, Methodology, Formal analysis, Data Curation, Writing - Initial Draft, Supervision. David Marshall: Investigation. Misha Devchand: Investigation, Writing - Initial Draft. Steven Walker: Project Administration. Andrew Talman: Validation, Investigation. Carmel Taylor: Project Administration. Tammie McIntyre: Project Administration. Jason Trubiano: Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing. Daryl Jones: Conceptualization, Methodology, Writing – Review & Editing, Supervision.


Glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) of high performance, as a relatively ideal partial or complete substitute for steel, could increase the possibility of adapting structures to changes in harsh weather environments. While GFRP is combined with concrete in the form of bars, the mechanical characteristics of GFRP cause the bonding behavior to differ significantly from that of steel-reinforced members. In this paper, a central pull-out test was applied, according to ACI440.3R-04, to analyze the influence of the deformation characteristics of GFRP bars on bonding failure. The bond–slip curves of the GFRP bars with different deformation coefficients exhibited distinct four-stage processes. Increasing the deformation coefficient of the GFRP bars is able to significantly improve the bond strength between the GFRP bars and the concrete. However, while both the deformation coefficient and concrete strength of the GFRP bars were increased, the bond failure mode of the composite member was more likely to be changed from ductile to brittle. The results show members with larger deformation coefficients and moderate concrete grades, which generally have excellent mechanical and engineering properties. By comparing with the existing bond and slip constitutive models, it was found that the proposed curve prediction model was able to well match the engineering performance of GFRP bars with different deformation coefficients. Meanwhile, due to its high practicality, a four-fold model characterizing representative stress for the bond–slip behavior was recommended in order to predict the performance of the GFRP bars. The global climate is changing at an unprecedented rate and threatening the service life of civil structures and infrastructural systems ,2,3. TheIn engineering applications, GFRP often exists in the form of tubes and bars in concrete composites. Although constrained by GFRP tubes, concrete members can exhibit excellent strength, stiffness, and structural stability under tension and compression conditions ,16,17,18In addition, many scholars conducted research on predicting the bond behavior of GFRP bars and concrete by establishing numerical models. Malvar  studied The application of GFRP bars in concrete structures has been widely established in a large number of studies. However, the influence of the surface deformation characteristics of GFRP bars on bonding performance is not yet fully understood. Therefore, a central pull-out test was designed according to the ACI440.3R-04  standardThe concrete strength grades used in this test were C30 and C40 by BS EN12390 , and theThe deformation coefficient, steel bar diameter, and concrete strength grade were used as parameters to design and study the bond–slip behavior between deformed GFRP bars and concrete. The test numbers and design parameters are shown in cR) is a descriptive parameter used in this paper to analyze the influence of the distribution of the transverse ribs of GFRP bars on the bond performance. It characterizes the deformation characteristics of GFRP bars and is numerically equal to the area of adjacent interrib concrete (ciA), divided by the sum of the area of interrib concrete (ciA) and the area of individual cross-rib surface projections (urA), where the sum of the area of cAi and the area of urA is equal to the product of rib spacing and rib height. GFRP bars obtain different deformation coefficient values according to Equation (1). The deformation coefficient (τ) and its corresponding slip (s) of all specimens were obtained during the drawing period.τ is the average bond stress between the GFRP bars and concrete, F is the pull-out load, al is the bonding length between the GFRP bars and concrete, S is the slippage of the GFRP bars at the loaded end, aS is the measured value of the indicator at the loaded end, bS is the theoretical elastic total elongation of the GFRP bar in the loaded section, L is the initial length of the GFRP bar in the loaded section, E is the elastic modulus of the GFRP bar, and A is the cross-sectional area of the GFRP bar.This test was performed on a 600 kN hydraulic servo testing machine, and the loading device is shown in τ–s curve of the specimen rose nearly linearly. With continued loading, the τ–s curve entered a nonlinear rising stage and the slope of the curve decreased with increasing stress until it reached the peak bond stress (bond strength). Then, the curve began to enter the descending phase, and the bond stress decreased rapidly with increasing slip. The residual stage presents two forms: one is where the bond stress maintains a relatively stable value with increasing slip deformation, such as the S1 and S2 GFRP bars, shown in The bond–slip curves of each group of specimens obtained according to Equations (2)–(4) are shown in In the experiment, 93% of the specimens failed due to the pull-out of the GFRP bars. In this case, the GFRP bars were pulled out from the concrete, there were practically no obvious scratches on the surface of the GFRP bars, the surface of the concrete test block was intact, and no radial cracks were observed; these observations indicated typical pull-out failure (P). For approximately 7% of the total number of specimens, splitting failure (S) was observed where the concrete specimen split directly in the middle and formed two similar halves. The specific failure modes and the test results of the bond strength are shown in According to τ–s curve of the residual phase decreasing in a wave-like manner indicates that during the relative sliding between the GFRP bar and the concrete, the overall member retained its bonding strength to some extent. Meanwhile, members that encompassed the typical four-stage process usually avoided sudden failure occurrence and represented ample engineering potential. Experimentally, there was no obvious wave-like development trend of the other specimens in the falling stage except C30S3, and their bond stress values generally decreased monotonically with increasing slippage. The reserved strength in these specimens was insufficient, and signs of ductility before failure were not obvious, meaning that it would be inadvisable to directly employ this process in practical engineering. In reality, the deformation capability and the energy consumption of resisting deformation prior to structural damage should be fully considered in structural designs.As shown above , specimeIR), which is herein numerically equal to the integral area of the linear segment of the τ–s curve. The ability to resist failure through energy dissipation both in the nonlinear elastic and in plastic stages is defined as the imaginary toughness (IT), which is numerically equal to the rest of the integral area after the removal of the linear segment of the τ–s curve. The entire energy consumption (EC) is numerically equal to the total area enclosed by the τ–s curve. The finite slip between the final slip (fs) and peak slip (us) is used to characterize the ductility (D) of the component, and the specific expression is shown in Equations (5)–(7), where ps and fs are the amount of slip at the end of the linear stage and the amount of slip at bond failure, respectively.The principle of the energy dissipation in composite components to prevent bond–slip failure could be imitated to some extent to that of the single material components against structural failure. In terms of the bonding component, the failure is triggered by external load and the member attempts to resist structural damage by releasing the energy generated by the slip process. However, thanks to the irreversibility of the slip deformation, the energy generated by the bond–slip of component differs from the energy consumed by single material component, as they act against deformation until failure. To distinguish from the local recoverability in single material components, the ability to resist deformation in bonded components via energy dissipation in their linear elastic stage was defined as the imaginary resilience :Before the residual stage (0 ≤ s ≥ rs):a, b, c, γ, ξ, ω, and ρ are all curve fitting parameters and rτ is the residual bond stress.Residual stage :Linear rising stage (0 ≤ ps ≤ s ≤ us):Nonlinear rising stage (us ≤ s ≤ rs):Falling stage (s ≥ rs):Residual stage (sEC). As shown in EC predicted by the simplified model is often slightly lower than the actual EC, at about 83–99% of the actual EC, as shown in The comparison of the simplified model with the test curve are shown in While increasing the deformation coefficient from 39% (S1) to 44% (S2) and 53% (S3), the bond strength for C30S2 and C30S3 increased by 630% and 840%, respectively relative to that of C30S1, and by 530% and 850%, respectively, for C40S2 and C40S3, relative to that of C40S1. Additionally, when increasing the compressive strength of the concrete from 31 to 41 MPa, the bond strengths of the specimens increased by 20%–44%. Meanwhile, the bond strength of the specimen decreased by approximately 5% on average per 2 mm when increasing the diameter of the GFRP bars.While both the deformation coefficient and concrete strength of the GFRP bars were increased, the bond failure mode of the composite member will be more likely changed from a typical pull-out failure to a concrete splitting failure. In engineering applications, much more attention should be paid to the joint effect on both the bar deformation coefficients and concrete strengths, in order to achieve a composite design with a balance of structural strength and engineering performance.Members with larger deformation coefficients and moderate concrete grades generally have excellent mechanical and engineering properties. The S3 GFRP bar was recommended for use in concrete C30 as an alternative to steel bars thanks to its superior performance. The total energy dissipation and ductility of C30S3 members are 200% to 250% relative to that of steel members.When compared with the existing bond and slip constitutive models, the proposed curve prediction model can better exhibit the unique influence of deformation coefficients on bonding behavior and the engineering performance of GFRP bars. The four-fold model, which is slightly conservative at approximately 83–99% of the actual energy consumption, is able to provide a better balanced design with original constitutive characteristics and engineering performance.In this paper, a central pull-out test of GFRP bar and concrete specimens was designed and the results were analyzed in order to investigate the effects from the deformation coefficient, concrete strength, and diameter of GFRP bars on the bond strength, as well as the failure mode and bond–slip constitutive formulas. The applicability of the bond–slip constitutive models was verified, and the conclusions are drawn as follows:


In this paper, three studies on modal bridge expansion joints were conducted through experiments. The advantages and disadvantages of acceleration and fiber optic strain sensors in the tested modal expansion joints were compared. Secondly, the variation in the natural frequency of the modal bridge expansion joints at different concrete curing periods was investigated. Finally, the effect of damage on natural frequency in different parts  of the modal bridge expansion joint was analyzed. For this purpose, three specimens were cast, each with six damage states. Manual methods damaged the specimens. An impact hammer was used to excite the corresponding parts of the different components. The results showed that the acceleration sensor is optimal for the modal bridge expansion joint test. The specimen’s natural frequency increased with the curing time’s growth. The natural frequency increased by 10 Hz from day 3 to day 28 of curing. With the gradual increase in damage, the natural frequencies of the center beam and support bar showed a gradual decreasing trend. The damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone caused less significant changes in the natural frequency, but the overall natural frequency still had a decreasing trend. The sensitivity of each frequency to the damage was different in different parts.  Bridge expansion joints are an integral part of the bridge which undertake the vital task of bridge deformation. However, bridge expansion joints are among the most vulnerable parts of bridges. Lima et al. investigated 150 bridge expansion joints, of which 94 road bridge expansion joints had a life of less than 10 years, 38 bridge expansion joints had a life greater than 10 years and less than 25 years, and 18 bridge expansion joints had a life greater than 25 years. The bridge expansion joints’ life is much shorter than an ordinary bridge’s life span [In past studies, many scholars have studied bridge expansion joints ,13,14,15Nowadays, vibration-based damage identification methods are mature ,32. StruFew scholars have systematically studied the damage to different parts of MBEJs. In addition, when the expansion joints are damaged and need to be replaced, it is crucial to study the characteristics of bridge expansion joints before and after casting and during the maintenance period. In order to systematically study the variation in the natural frequency of MBEJs during different concrete maintenance periods and the effect of damage to different parts of MBEJs on natural frequency, three specimens were cast for experimental study. At the end of the curing period, specimen 1 was used to study the damage to the center beam, specimen 2 was used to study the damage to the support bar, and specimen 3 was used to study the damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone. Two different types of sensors were compared. The specimens were excited using the hammering method to obtain the natural frequencies of the specimens. Then, the frequency characteristics of the MBEJ before and after casting and during curing time were analyzed. Subsequently, damage to the center beam, the support bar, and the concrete in the anchorage zone was applied to each of the three specimens. Since the damage to the center beam and the support bar appeared as cracks first and then gradually increased and the specimens were hard, oxygen cutters were used for damaging them. The damage to the anchorage zone concrete was gradually peeled off from the edge beams, so the test was performed to damage concrete in the anchorage zone close to the edge beams. In order to reflect the gradual increase in damage and to simulate the actual engineering, each part of the damage was divided into six states. Finally, the first three natural frequencies of the MBEJ states were investigated for the center beam, the support bar, and the concrete in the anchorage zone under different damages.In order to simulate the state of bridge expansion joints in the laboratory, three specimens were fabricated in the engineering structural dynamics and reliability analysis laboratory of Xiangtan University. Hengshui Boyun Rubber Products company’s 160 MBEJ was selected as the required bridge expansion joint for the specimen, which is shown in Specimen 1 was used to study the damage to the center beam, specimen 2 was used to study the damage to the support bar, and specimen 3 was used to study the damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone. The MBEJ was cast upside down in the casting because the specimen was more difficult to cast due to its complex structure. The cast specimen is 1500 mm long, 1200 mm wide, and 500 mm high. In a bridge, the center beam and support bar are first cracked and then gradually damaged. However, it is not easy to simulate this situation in the laboratory. In addition, it is essential to consider the different stages of damage to the expansion joints, especially at the beginning of the damage. Therefore, multiple damage scenarios need to be developed. The damage to the concrete in anchorage zone is mainly associated with the spalling of the modal bridge expansion joint edge beams, and the spalling becomes progressively more significant. Therefore, multiple damage scenarios should be developed along the longitudinal direction of the edge beam. In order to facilitate the destruction of the specimen, the damaged location of specimen 1 was chosen to be in the middle of the center beam. The material property was ASTM 572 Grade 50 (Q345B) steel, which is hard and rigid. Therefore, standard cutting tools could not cut the center beam. The oxygen-cutting gun had a small head and outstanding cutting ability, which allowed the gun to penetrate deep into the specimen. Therefore, an oxygen-cutting machine was used to cut the center beam. The support bar of specimen 2 was also cut using the oxygen-cutting technique. The cutting process is shown in The damaged concrete in anchorage zone of specimen 3 was mainly in the form of cracking and spalling. The concrete in the anchorage zone close to the middle of the edge beam was selected for damage in the experiment. Firstly, the concrete surface of specimen 3 was divided into a square grid with a side length of 100 mm and cut to a depth of 20 mm using a concrete cutter. Subsequently, the cutting area was destroyed with a concrete gouge. For each state of damage, the damaged area was extended by 100 mm left and right along the longitudinal direction of the edge beam. The damaged state was distinguished by the longitudinal length of the damaged area. The degree of concrete damage was divided into six stages . The damaged state of the concrete in anchorage zone is shown in There is a correlation between the natural frequency of a structure and the material properties of the structure, and the natural frequency is sensitive to internal damage to the structure. The natural frequency is relatively easy to obtain and more sensitive to vibration and damping. Among the existing frequency testing techniques, the hammering method is widely used to obtain the natural frequency of an object . The resThe vibration signal was obtained using an impact hammer to excite the corresponding part for each level of damage in each part. In order to reduce possible signal disturbance, the specimens were placed on two 50 mm thick foam pads.In order to obtain the optimal sensor for the experiment, acceleration sensors and fiber grating strain sensors were installed on the corresponding parts of the three specimens. When the concrete in the anchorage zone is damaged, the boundary conditions of the edge beam are changed by the damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone. The analysis of damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone can be translated into the analysis of changes in the boundary conditions of the edge beam. Therefore, the sensor was placed on the edge beam. The corresponding parts were excited with impact hammers.The hydration reaction of cement is a long-term process. As the curing period keeps growing, the hydration reaction of cement keeps increasing, and the strength of the concrete keeps growing. The increasing compressive strength of concrete indicates an increasing elastic modulus of the concrete. Therefore, the natural frequency changes in the center beam of the MBEJ at different curing ages were studied in four stages . The concrete strengths at each age are shown in The variation in the first to third natural frequencies of the center beam is shown in The ends of the support bar are supported by displacement boxes, which belong to the simple-supported beam structure. The support bar is welded to the center beam in the span and directly bears the vertical load transmitted by the center beam. The concrete in the anchorage zone close to the middle of the edge beam was selected for the test. Since the edge beam is closely connected to the concrete in the anchorage zone, the boundary conditions of the edge beam change when the concrete in the anchorage zone is damaged. Therefore, the acceleration sensor was installed on the middle side of the edge beam. The damage transformation of the concrete in the anchorage zone is converted to the identification of changes in the boundary conditions of the edge beam. The natural frequency of the MBEJs decreases to varying degrees when damage occurs to the MBEJs. The natural frequency does not change much when the concrete in the anchorage zone is damaged. The natural frequency changes significantly when fracturing the center beam and support bar. The different natural frequencies of each part of the MBEJ differ in their sensitivity to damage. The center beam’s second and third natural frequencies are more sensitive to damage. The support bar’s second and third natural frequencies are more sensitive to damage. The frequency variation in the concrete in the anchorage zone is smaller than those in the center beam and support bar. Although the center beam and the support bar are interconnected, the natural frequencies of the center beam and the support bar in undamaged conditions are very different. Therefore, each part of the MBEJ has different characteristics and needs to be studied separately in practical engineering. The sensor is arranged directly on the center beam and the support bar can effectively identify frequency change. However, the frequency change is not apparent when the sensor is arranged on the edge beam to identify the damage to concrete in the anchorage zone. The center beam and the support bar are damaged, so they respond sharply to the natural frequency. When the concrete in the anchorage zone is damaged, the edge beam’s boundary condition change is affected, and the damaged area is not significant for the edge beam, so the response of the natural frequency is not significant. Therefore, the effect of the change in boundary conditions on the natural frequency of the specimen is smaller than the effect of the damage.In this paper, three specimens were designed and fabricated to study the variation in the natural frequencies of concrete in the anchorage zone, center beam, and support bar before and after damage. The natural frequency variation in the specimens during the concrete curing period was studied. In addition, the applicability of different sensors to the MBEJ test was compared. The vibration signals at different damage stages of the corresponding parts of each specimen were obtained using manual destruction and hammer excitation. The frequency variations in the bridge expansion joints at the time of concrete curing were analyzed. The main conclusions are as follows:The results showed that the optimal sensor for the test of the MBEJs is the acceleration sensor. The natural frequency of the specimens increases with the increase in concrete strength during the concrete curing time. There is a significant change in the frequency domain of the specimen before and after casting. After casting, the peaks in the frequency domain decrease, and only two distinct peaks can be observed. The natural frequencies of the center beam gradually decrease with increasing damage. The center beam’s second and third natural frequencies are more sensitive to damage. The natural frequencies of the support bars also decrease gradually with increasing damage. The support bar’s second and third natural frequencies are more sensitive to damage. Although the center beam and the support bar are connected, there is a difference in the natural frequencies measured in the test, and it is recommended that the two be studied separately in later tests. The frequency change was not apparent when the damage occurred to the concrete in the anchorage zone since the damage identification of concrete in the anchorage zone was converted into the identification of the boundary condition change in the edge beam. The boundary condition change had little effect on the natural frequency.Finally, advanced sensing (acceleration sensors) and methods should be used for bridge expansion joint detection instead of manual visual inspection and empirical judgment. Due to the stiffness of bridge expansion joints, acceleration sensors or sensors with high sensitivity should be used for detection. The sensors can be arranged directly in the corresponding positions of the center beam and support bar. The sensors can be arranged on the edge beams for concrete in the anchorage zone. However, the sensor on the edge beam reacts to significant damage to the concrete in the anchorage zone. Assuming that damage has occurred, the bridge expansion joint needs to be replaced. In this case, it is recommended to use the sensors after seven days of concrete placement in the anchorage zone because their natural frequency increases very little after seven days.


In middle-income countries like Nigeria, the misuse of antibiotics by consumers is posing serious threats to public health. This is contributing to the alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance, which is reducing the effectiveness of antibiotics against common infections. This study therefore aimed to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and factors associated with antibiotics misuse among consumers visiting selected community pharmacies.p < 0.05.This cross-sectional study conducted in Ibadan, Nigeria, aimed at determining factors influencing antibiotics misuse among consumers. The questionnaires were completed by 509 consumers. The analysis was done using SPSS version 26 and the results were presented using descriptive statistics. The associations between categorical variables were analysed using Pearson’s Chi-square with statistical significance set at p-value = 0.007), the belief in antibiotics’ quick relief , proximity of the pharmacy to their house or workplace , amongst others.Results showed that 95.9% of the consumers believed that antibiotics prevent bacterial growth, and 60.7% thought they treat all infections. However, 57.4% were unaware of antibiotic resistance, while only 14.7% had adequate knowledge about antibiotics. Most of the consumers, 72.5% had used antibiotics in the last 12 months and, amoxicillin 42.4% was the most commonly used with, malaria 38.9% as the primary condition for which antibiotics were used. Some of the significant factors influencing antibiotics misuse included delays in test reports (Most of the consumers had inadequate knowledge about rational antibiotic use which contributed to their misuse of antibiotics. Thus, targeted educational interventions are needed to improve knowledge and promote appropriate antibiotic use among consumers. Policies regulating the dispensing and selling of antibiotics with adequate counselling should be further enforced. Antibiotics are substances that are used for inhibiting and treating infections caused by specific bacteria. They play an important role in treating bacterial infections, including life-threatening ones . HoweverAntibiotics resistance does not necessarily mean that the human body is resistant to antibiotics, instead, this phenomenon occurs when the growth of microbes is no longer inhibited or destroyed by antibiotics . The conThe unethical antibiotics use by consumers has been favoured by community pharmacists dispensing these drugs without valid prescriptions . In manyMany patients resort to antibiotic misuse due to factors such as lack of funds for doctor consultations, long wait times at hospitals, high costs of laboratory tests, and the unavailability of medical doctors . StudiesMisuse of antibiotics such as failure to finish the antibiotic therapy, skipping of doses, reusing leftover medicines, and excessive use by consumers, have contributed to the widespread menace of antibiotic resistance globally . This irStaphylococcus aureus which is methicillin-resistant and Escherichia coli which is fluoroquinolone-resistant in Nigerian communities [Although some research studies have reported the prevalence of antibiotic resistance in Nigeria, however, there is still inadequate information on the factors responsible for resistance in the country. Previous studies have identified cases of munities , 13. Addmunities . Howevermunities .Given the global increase in antibiotic resistance, which is predominantly due to misuse of antibiotics. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge, perceptions, and factors associated with antibiotics misuse among consumers visiting selected community pharmacies in Ibadan, Nigeria.This study was a questionnaire-guided cross-sectional survey that assessed the factors associated with antibiotic misuse among consumers visiting the community pharmacies in Ibadan. It was conducted in Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State in Southwestern Nigeria. Oyo State is one of the 36 states in Nigeria, covering a landmass of 27 249 square kilometres. Ibadan has a population of about 3.6 million people, while the entire population of Oyo State is approximately 5.6 million people.The questionnaire used for the study was designed by the researchers after a thorough review of similar studies , 9, 16, Eligible participants were consumers above 18 years that visited the community pharmacies during the study period. Those below the age of 18 and adults who were unwilling to participate in the research were excluded.For the selection of community pharmacies in this study, simple random sampling technique was employed bearing in mind the centrality of the location and popularity in terms of patronage. At least one pharmacy was chosen from each of the 11 local governments in Ibadan. The managers of these selected pharmacies were then approached to provide an approximate count of the daily number of consumers they serve. By aggregating and averaging these estimates, an overall average of 1300 customers per month was determined. With a confidence level of 95% and a margin of error of 5%, the Yamane sample size formula  was utilFor the consumers, consecutive method of sampling was used. The study was conducted in selected community pharmacies in Ibadan, with at least one community pharmacy from each local government area. From each of the community pharmacies, the superintendent pharmacists were approached and the scope of the study was explained to them in order to seek their permission to carry out the study in their premises. In total, 24 community pharmacies gave their consent.Subsequently, consumers visiting the pharmacies to purchase medication, refill their prescriptions, or seek health-related advice were approached. The study objectives were explained to them, and their informed consent was obtained from those who agreed to participate. Each consumer was interviewed using a questionnaire, which took not more than 20 min to complete. For respondents who did not understand English, a translated questionnaire was used, and their responses were back-translated. Consumers from each consented pharmacy were consecutively approached until the desired sample size was reached, with an average of 20 consumers interviewed per consented community pharmacy.The questionnaires underwent a thorough review by two clinical pharmacists to ensure the comprehensiveness and clarity. Additionally, a pre-test was conducted with consumers from the local community to assess the questionnaires’ ease of understanding. Based on the feedback received during the pre-test and the content validation process, slight adjustments were made to improve the questionnaires. The revised version of the questionnaires was then used to assess the knowledge, perception, attitude of consumers towards antibiotics uses and factors associated with antibiotics misuse among the consumers who visited the community pharmacies in Ibadan during the study period.After the questionnaires were collected, they were carefully checked for accuracy and assigned serial codes. Data entry, cleansing, and analysis were performed using the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 26. Descriptive statistics, such as frequency counts, percentages, and means, were used to summarize and present the results and inferential statistics such as Pearson’s Chi-square was used to explore the association between statistical variables. The internal consistency/reliability of the 9-item knowledge and 7-item perception questions was determined using Cronbach alpha test, with a value of 0.68. For the consumers, their socio-demographic characteristics were summarized using descriptive statistics and presented in a table. Their knowledge about antibiotics and antibiotics resistance was assessed by assigning a score of “one” for each correct answer, while a score of “zero” was assigned for each incorrect answer. The overall scores for knowledge and perception questions were categorized as “good” or “poor” based on the respondents’ scores in each domain. The cut-off point for determining a “good” level of knowledge and perception was set at above 70%. Scores below the cut-off point were classified as “poor” knowledge and perception. The binary categorization for scoring the knowledge of the respondents was derived from Bloom’s cut-off criteria and other similar propositions , 18.p < 0.05.The questions used to assess their attitudes towards rational antibiotics use were analysed using descriptive statistics. Also, the factors influencing their use of antibiotics were identified using descriptive statistics where the 4-point Likert was converted to binary outcome of agree versus disagree such that the percentages of those who chose “strongly agree” or “agree” were considered as agree and the percentages of those who chose “strongly disagree” or “disagree” were considered as disagree. Pearson’s Chi-square test was used to evaluate the association between some socio-demographic characteristics and their knowledge, and also the association between their knowledge and factors associated with antibiotics use. The level of statistical significance was set at A total of 520 questionnaires were distributed among consumers visiting pharmacies in Ibadan to evaluate the factors contributing to inappropriate antibiotic dispensing. Among these, 509 questionnaires were adequately completed, resulting in 97.9% response rate. Out of the participants  were male, while 251 (49.3%) were female. Most of the participants were single , aged between 18–30 years , and resided in urban areas . A significant percentage of the respondents had attained tertiary education   expressed agreement that antibiotics have the ability to prevent or eliminate bacterial growth. Additionally, 309, 60.7% of them claimed that antibiotics can effectively treat all types of infections, including viral and fungal infections. Also, 247 (48.5%) respondents believed that antibiotics can be used to treat uncomplicated malaria. Interestingly, more than half of the respondents  admitted to not being aware of antibiotic resistance, while 342 (67.2%) acknowledged that antibiotic resistance refers to a phenomenon where bacteria lose their sensitivity to antibiotics. To assess their understanding of antibiotics and antibiotic resistance, they were presented with nine item questions, and  demonstrated adequate knowledge, whereas  had inadequate knowledge in this domain , held a positive perception while only a few, , had a negative perception. Based on the appropriateness of purchasing antibiotics without a doctor's prescription, 433 respondents (85.1%) agreed that it is not suitable to do so whereas nearly half of them, , believed that antibiotic resistance is incapable of spreading to other individuals and causing death  reported to have used antibiotics within the last 12 months. Among those respondents, slightly above half  acquired antibiotics through a prescription, while 144 (28.3%) obtained antibiotics without a prescription. The primary sources of antibiotic prescriptions or recommendations were pharmacists (38.6%) and doctors (37.1%). A smaller proportion of respondents (13.1%) engaged in self-medication, while 10.2% relied on recommendations from family and friends. In rare cases, 0.6% obtained antibiotics from a nurse, and 0.4% received them from a patent medicine personnel (details in Table Amoxicillin (42.4%) emerged as the most utilized antibiotic, followed by ampicillin (20.2%) and ciprofloxacin (19.4%), as indicated in Table Among the respondents, 264 (60.7%) reported using antibiotics for up to 5 days, while 87 (20%) used them for a duration of 7 days, and 46 (10.6%) used antibiotics for only 2 days. When asked about the reasons for discontinuing antibiotic use, completing the prescribed course was mentioned by 34.6%, stopped when they felt better by 35.8%, stopped based on the advice of a healthcare provider by 21.6%, and 19.8% stopped when their symptoms resolved. Other reasons included experiencing side effects (4.3%), perceiving the medication as ineffective (4.1%), and forgetting to take a dose (5.5%)  of participants cited the delay in obtaining test reports from the laboratory as a factor. Additionally, 385 (75.8%) agreed that antibiotics possess potent properties that offer quicker relief from symptoms. Moreover, 394 (77.4%) claimed that their usage was based on past prescriptions from doctors or other healthcare professionals, while 375 (73.7%) expressed comfort in using antibiotics after registering complaints with pharmacists. Furthermore, 243 (47.7%) acknowledged the convenience of nearby pharmacies in acquiring antibiotics and 164 (32.2%) of the respondents disclosed having a phobia for injections. It is noteworthy that 171 (33.5%) expressed a preference for antibiotics over expensive consultation fees, and 70 (13.8%) admitted to occasionally combining antibiotics with herbal preparations .It was observed that there was no statistically significant association between gender, age groups, educational level, and proximity of residence with knowledge level . Specifically, professionals, public/civil servants, artisans, business personnel, and students had higher levels of good knowledge, while unemployed individuals had a higher percentage of poor knowledge.However, when examining the occupation variable, a statistically significant association was observed. The occupation of consumers was found to have a significant impact on their knowledge level , believed in the fast symptom relief of powerful antibiotics , used antibiotics based on past prescriptions , considered the proximity of the pharmacy to their house or workplace as a determining factor , used antibiotics when feeling sick , took the initiative to use antibiotics for minor illnesses , and expressed a lack of trust in physicians and nurses leading to self-purchasing of antibiotics . Conversely, individuals with good knowledge were less likely to hold these beliefs or engage in such behaviours.Table Findings from this study underscore the irrational use of antibiotics by consumers and a significant gap in their knowledge about rational antibiotics use even though a larger percentage of them have tertiary education. These results differ from studies conducted in Tanzania, where individuals with higher education levels demonstrated better understanding of antibiotic use , 18–20.More than half of the respondents were of the belief that antibiotics could treat all infections, including viral and fungal infections, and held misconceptions such as the belief that antibiotics can prevent diarrhoea or act as a preventive measure after unprotected sex. These perceptions align with previous research highlighting similar misconceptions which stem from limited knowledge, societal influences, and a desire for quick health solutions –26. Howe. in 2022 where consumers had poor knowledge of antibiotic use and limited understanding of antibiotic resistance [One of the threats posed by antibiotic resistance is a high mortality rate. Unfortunately, about half of the respondents in this study believed that antibiotic resistance cannot spread to other people and cannot cause death. This wide knowledge gap is a contributory factor to the irrational use of antibiotics. While most of them understood that antibiotic resistance occurs when bacteria are no longer sensitive to antibiotics and acknowledged that misuse can increase resistance, some respondents claimed to have never heard about antibiotic resistance. This lack of awareness aligns with similar findings in a study by Khan et alsistance .The top five antibiotics reportedly used by consumers in this study in the last 12 months were amoxicillin, ampicillin, ciprofloxacin, tetracycline, and metronidazole. The widespread use of amoxicillin can be attributed to its affordability and availability as an over-the-counter medicine in pharmacies which has enabled individuals to self-medicate with it for common infections. Also, the frequent use of tetracycline and metronidazole suggests their utilization for the prevention or treatment of diarrhoea, as about a third of respondents believed antibiotics are most effective for preventing diarrhoea, which is also one of the top seven ailments for which consumers used antibiotics in this study. Similar misuse of amoxicillin has been reported in Indonesia, while Ampiclox (ampicillin–cloxacillin) was found to be the most misused antibiotic among consumers in Lagos and Ilorin, Nigeria –30.Plasmodium) and not bacteria. Alarmingly, close to half of the consumers believed that antibiotics are used to treat uncomplicated malaria. Well, malaria which is a life-threatening disease with high prevalence in tropical regions is best treated with antimalarial medicines, however, some antibiotics like macrolides and tetracycline have proven to be effective in its treatment [. [Malaria emerged as the most common reason for antibiotic use among consumers, despite the fact that it is caused by protozoa  admitted to occasionally mixing antibiotics with other herbal preparations. This practice raises concerns about the potential interaction between antibiotics and herbal remedies, emphasizing the need for proper guidance from healthcare professionals.A considerable number of respondents claimed that after reporting their complaints to pharmacists, they found it comfortable to use the antibiotics provided. This suggests that the reassurance and recommendations received from pharmacists are crucial in the decision-making process regarding antibiotic use . HoweverTo combat antibiotic misuse, a comprehensive and collaborative approach involving healthcare professionals, policymakers, technology developers, and the public is crucial. Healthcare professionals should focus on patient education and communication to improve understanding of proper antibiotic use . Policy The nature of this research gives room for both response and recall bias. It is possible that respondents may have provided answers that were influenced by their current circumstances or personal biases. Moreover, the study solely relied on data from community pharmacies and did not capture responses from individuals who obtained their antibiotics from other sources, such as hospitals or online platforms. Furthermore, the translated questionnaire was not revalidated. Hence, the findings from this research may not be fully representative of the broader population, and caution on generalization.Despite these limitations, this study has provided valuable insights into the knowledge, perception, and attitude of consumers towards rational antibiotic use and the factors influencing their misuse of antibiotics. By addressing these factors and paying close attention to the findings, it is possible to enhance patient care and curb the spread of antibiotic resistance in Nigeria.This study highlights important findings about the knowledge, perception, and attitudes of consumers in relation to the use of antibiotics. Most of the consumers had poor knowledge about antibiotics, which is a contributory factor to their misuse of these medications. In addressing this, it is paramount to increase awareness campaigns about the dangers associated with antibiotics misuse. Also, educating them on proper antibiotic use is equally important so as to ensure that they understand the right indications, dosages, and duration of treatment. By addressing these gaps in knowledge, the spread of antibiotic resistance can be effectively curbed. Policies regulating the dispensing and selling of antibiotics with adequate counselling should be further enforced.