The aim of this article is to assess the potential of converting gasoline-powered passenger cars into electric vehicles in Poland. Based on the available literature data, the vehicle structure was classified using the following criteria: vehicle age, engine capacity, car segment, type of fuel used, and curb weight. The average fuel and electric energy consumption values per vehicle before and after conversion were determined using specially developed statistical models. The conversion and operation costs of a conventionally fueled vehicle and an electric vehicle (after conversion) were estimated using a stochastic simulation model employing probability density distributions of vehicle parameters and the Monte Carlo method. Vehicle parameters were estimated to reflect the real structure of passenger cars in Poland. The estimated costs of converting a gasoline-powered vehicle to an electric vehicle (including the purchase and installation of an electric motor and battery) and its subsequent operating costs enabled the assessment of the economic efficiency of the car conversion process. The potential for converting gasoline-powered cars to electric vehicles was estimated by comparing the operating costs of the vehicle before and after conversion, taking into account the costs of the conversion itself. The potential of the studied conversion process amounted to 535,000 vehicles, which would generate an annual electricity demand of 1,746.36 GWh with electricity prices of 0.6 PLN/kWh. The conversion is economically viable mainly in passenger cars with a spark engine (more than 90% of cases).

The paper presents a description and results of a study focused on the applicability of the sclerometric method to the preliminary assessment of concrete quality in structures after fire. Due to the high thermal inertia, concrete has non-uniform properties in the heated element cross-section. The greatest reduction of concrete compressive strength occurs on the heated surface. When assessing a structure after a fire, it is particularly important to determine the thickness of the damaged external concrete layer. Reinforced concrete beams exposed to high temperature on one side (a one-way heat transfer in the cross-section) for 0 (unheated element), 60, 120, 180 and 240 minutes were examined. A significant decrease of the rebound number on the elements heated surface was observed, depending on the heating duration. The obtained values of the relative rebound number reduction were comparable to the values of relative compressive strength decrease (determined on the basis of temperature) of concrete situated 15 mm from the heated surface.

Fractal analysis is one of the rapidly evolving branches of mathematics and finds its application in different analyses such as pore space description. It constitutes a new approach to the issue of their natural irregularity and roughness. To be properly applied, it should be encompassed by an error estimation. The article presents and verifies uncertainties along with imperfections connected with image analysis and expands on the possible ways of their correction. One of key aspects of such research is finding both appropriate place and the number of photos to take. A coarse- grained sandstone thin section was photographed and then pictures were combined into one, bigger image. Fractal parameters distributions show their change and suggest that the accurately gathered group of photos include both highly and less porous regions. Their amount should be representative and adequate to the sample. The resolution influence on the fractal dimension and lacunarity values was examined. For SEM limestone images obtained using backscattered electrons, magnification in the range of 120x to 2000x was used. Additionally, a single pore was examined. The acquired results point to the fact that the values of fractal dimension are similar to a wide range of magnifications, while lacunarity changes each time. This is connected with changing homogeneity of the image. The article also undertakes a problem of determining fractal parameters spatial distribution based on binarization. The available methods assume that it is carried out after or before the image division into rectangles to create fractal dimension and lacunarity values for interpolation. An individual binarization, although time consuming, provides better results that resemble reality to a closer degree. It is not possible to define a single, correct methodology of error elimination. A set of hints has been presented that can improve results of further image analysis of pore space.

On the 14th of February, 2015, a huge fire broke out on Łazienkowski Bridge; a five span bridge, 423 m long and 28 m wide, built in the years 1972-74. It was a fully steel structure with four plate girders and orthotropic deck. The fire started under the first span during the replacement of wooden service decks. The next day, the Department of Bridges of the Warsaw University of Technology was designated to conduct an expertise material investigation, geometrical verification, and FEM model analysis. The subject of this paper concentrates on geometrical issues. The main difficulty of this task was the lack of full reference data regarding the bridge's original structure. The old design was incomplete and there was no actual surveying results for the undamaged structure. As a conclusion, some remarks focused on surveying measurements and on the final decision regarding this bridge are given. It was eventually exchanged into a brand new one and put into public use on the 28th of October, 2015.