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Applied Sciences
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New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications
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New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Civil Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2023) | Viewed by 8780

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Seung-Yup Jang

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Guest Editor
Department of Transportation System Engineering, Graduate School of Transportation, Korea National University of Transportation, 157, Cheoldo-bangmulgwan-ro, Uiwang 16106, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea
Interests: concrete durability; railway track system; track–bridge interaction
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Seung-Jun Kwon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Hannam University, Daejeon 34430, Republic of Korea
Interests: durability; sustainability; carbonation; chloride attack; crack; corrosion
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainability is very important to the continued growth of our society and human civilization, and thus, is the hottest issue not only in engineering but also in all fields. In particular, cement, a main constituent material of concrete, emits a large amount of CO2 and other greenhouse gases, so it constitutes the most important axis of the sustainability issue. In addition, due to restricted natural resources, the constituents of concrete are gradually depleted. For example, the amount of aggregates is rapidly decreasing in most developed countries, so it is no longer possible to obtain high-quality aggregates, which leads to poor-quality concrete construction. To address this sustainability issue in concrete construction, new innovative technologies are being developed in the last decades. For example, various supplementary cementitious materials, such as fly ash, blast-furnace slag, silica fume, and rice husk ash, are utilized to reduce cement usage. Recently, limestone calcined clay cement (LC3) is being spotlighted as one of the alternative types of cement with lower CO2 emissions. Alkali-activated concrete is also being actively studied. Furthermore, recycled aggregates collected from waste concrete are a good example of waste recycling in the concrete industry to address the depletion of natural resources. Other examples of waste recycling are being introduced. All concretes that utilize these technologies can be called “sustainable concrete,” but sustainable concrete is not limited to just cement and constituent materials, but can be extended to technologies related to the entire cycle of concrete manufacturing, construction, operation, and disposal. Moreover, to more actively utilize sustainable concrete in the construction industry, it is of utmost importance to verify its compatibility as materials constituting structural members.

From these viewpoints, subjects that will be dealt with in this Special Issue will focus on recent trends in sustainable concrete research, and also case studies that prove the structural performance of sustainable concrete.

Prof. Dr. Seung-Yup Jang
Prof. Dr. Seung-Jun Kwon
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability
  • concrete
  • CO2 (carbon dioxide)
  • GHG (greenhouse gas)
  • supplementary cementitious materials
  • alkali-activated concrete
  • cement-free concrete
  • recycled aggregates
  • waste recycling
  • strucutral performance

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1820 KiB  
Article
The Recycling of Carbon Components and the Reuse of Carbon Fibers for Concrete Reinforcements
by Enrico Baumgaertel and Steffen Marx
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7091; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127091 - 13 Jun 2023
Viewed by 1102
Abstract
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are increasingly used in all areas of industry. With the increasing number of components and semi-finished products, more and more new carbon fibers will be produced. This also generates a greater number of end-of-life components. These end-of-life components can [...] Read more.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastics are increasingly used in all areas of industry. With the increasing number of components and semi-finished products, more and more new carbon fibers will be produced. This also generates a greater number of end-of-life components. These end-of-life components can currently only be fed back, to a limited extent, for reuse, thus leading to a non-optimal, closed-material cycle of the carbon fiber. This article provides an overview of the recycling of carbon components, their further processing and their reuse in reinforcement elements made of carbon fibers. In addition, first results from recycled single fibers and yarn tensile tests from recycled carbon fibers (rCF) are presented. By demonstrating the reuse of carbon fibers in the construction sector, there is the potential to effectively close the carbon cycle. The utilization of carbon reinforcements also enables the reduction of concrete consumption, as the minimum concrete cover required to protect the reinforcement from corrosion is no longer needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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12 pages, 1954 KiB  
Article
The Effect of a Blended Polycarboxylate Superplasticizer on the Rheology of Self-Compacting Concrete Paste
by Maverick Swartz, Willy Mbasha and Rainer Haldenwang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4148; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074148 - 24 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1333
Abstract
High-strength-performing concretes (HSPC) have been used extensively due to new building requirements and their special properties suitable for modern cities. Superplasticizers (SPs) are essential components in the mix design of these concretes since they control their fresh properties and improve durability. In practice, [...] Read more.
High-strength-performing concretes (HSPC) have been used extensively due to new building requirements and their special properties suitable for modern cities. Superplasticizers (SPs) are essential components in the mix design of these concretes since they control their fresh properties and improve durability. In practice, superplasticizers are used to achieve a desired workability without increasing the water content by dispersing agglomerated cement particles. The aim of this research was to investigate the effectiveness of a blended polycarboxylate (PCE) superplasticizer on the rheological behavior for three different cements. It was found that two SP agents with the same molecular structure but with different weight and side-chain length provided an SP product that had a greater effect on the rheological properties of the cement paste. Yield stress values remained unaffected in the presence of blended SP with an SP fraction above 50% and with long side chains while its adsorption ability increased with the decrease in SP fraction with shorter side chains and lower molecular mass. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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19 pages, 16582 KiB  
Article
Microstructural and Mechanical Properties of Cement Blended with TEOS/PVP Nanofibers Containing CNTs
by Tri N. M. Nguyen, Taek Hee Han, Jun Kil Park and Jung J. Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 714; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020714 - 4 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1296
Abstract
In this investigation, we mixed cement with electrospun nanofibers made of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and polyvidone (PVP), as well as a modified version with carbon nanotubes (CNT). When we incorporated TEOS/PVP and CNT-TEOS/PVP nanofibers into the cementitious materials, the results of mechanical strength tests [...] Read more.
In this investigation, we mixed cement with electrospun nanofibers made of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and polyvidone (PVP), as well as a modified version with carbon nanotubes (CNT). When we incorporated TEOS/PVP and CNT-TEOS/PVP nanofibers into the cementitious materials, the results of mechanical strength tests showed improvements in compressive strength of 28% and 38% and in toughness of 54% and 66%, respectively. We observed the morphology and texture of the fibers using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyses. In addition, based on our SEM, energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), we observed that the matrix structure was compacted due to the nanofiber’s matrix-bridging effect and the increase in hydration products. Therefore, the results of our microstructure studies agree with those of the mechanical strength tests. Our findings can be used to increase cement quality while lowering overall usage, thereby minimizing its environmental impacts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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18 pages, 2974 KiB  
Article
Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Confined Concrete: Data-Driven Predictions of Compressive Strength Utilizing Machine Learning Techniques
by Filippos Sofos, Christos G. Papakonstantinou, Maria Valasaki and Theodoros E. Karakasidis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 567; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010567 - 31 Dec 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 1764
Abstract
Accurate estimation of the mechanical properties of concrete is important for the development of new materials to lead construction applications. Experimental research, aided by empirical and statistical models, has been commonly employed to establish a connection between concrete properties and the resulting compressive [...] Read more.
Accurate estimation of the mechanical properties of concrete is important for the development of new materials to lead construction applications. Experimental research, aided by empirical and statistical models, has been commonly employed to establish a connection between concrete properties and the resulting compressive strength. However, these methods can be labor-intensive to develop and may not always produce accurate results when the relationships between concrete properties, mixture composition, and curing conditions are complex. In this paper, an experimental dataset based on uniaxial compression experiments conducted on concrete specimens, confined using fiber-reinforced polymer jackets, is incorporated to predict the compressive strength of confined specimens. Experimental measurements are bound to the mechanical and physical properties of the material and fed into a machine learning platform. Novel data science techniques are exploited at first to prepare the experimental dataset before entering the machine learning procedure. Twelve machine learning algorithms are employed to predict the compressive strength, with tree-based methods yielding the highest accuracy scores, achieving coefficients of determination close to unity. Eventually, it is shown that, by carefully manipulating experimental datasets and selecting the appropriate algorithm, a fast and accurate computational platform is created, which can be generalized to bypass expensive, time-consuming, and susceptible-to-errors experiments, and serve as a solution to practical problems in science and engineering. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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17 pages, 10281 KiB  
Article
Corrosion Behavior in RC Member with Different Cover Depths under Cyclic Chloride Ingress Conditions for 2 Years
by Kwang-Myong Lee, Yong-Sik Yoon, Keun-Hyeok Yang, Bong-Young Yoo and Seung-Jun Kwon
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(24), 13002; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122413002 - 18 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1313
Abstract
Concrete structures are considered as durable construction material, but corrosion of the embedded steel reinforcement occurs under chloride exposure as concrete has porous properties. Herein, a cyclic drying–wetting test was performed for two years using saltwater to accelerate steel corrosion in a reinforced [...] Read more.
Concrete structures are considered as durable construction material, but corrosion of the embedded steel reinforcement occurs under chloride exposure as concrete has porous properties. Herein, a cyclic drying–wetting test was performed for two years using saltwater to accelerate steel corrosion in a reinforced concrete (RC) member. The open-circuit potential (OCP) was measured using a newly developed and replaceable agar sensor. The corrosion potential was measured considering the chloride concentration, water-to-cement (w/c) ratio, and cover depth at three levels. Furthermore, its relationships with influential parameters were evaluated using averaged OCP results. The measured OCP showed a linear relationship with the cover depth, and this tendency was more distinct with increasing retention period and higher chloride concentration. For the highest w/c ratio (0.6), values below −100 mV were monitored after only six months regardless of the cover depth, and values below the critical potential level (−450 mV) were evaluated at lower cover depths (30 and 45 mm). The results of regression analysis considering the exposure environment showed a clear relationship in the case of high chloride concentration (7.0%). A linear relationship between cover depth and OCP was derived with a reasonable determination coefficient ranging from 0.614 to 0.771. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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16 pages, 3661 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Behavior of Concrete Containing Wood Biomass Fly Ash
by Ivan Gabrijel, Marijan Skazlić and Nina Štirmer
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(24), 12859; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122412859 - 14 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1241
Abstract
Wood biomass is widely used in the European Union as a fuel for the production of heat and electrical energy, generating a considerable amount of ash. The disposal of ash, especially its finest fraction, requires proper engineering solutions, since these particles contain heavy [...] Read more.
Wood biomass is widely used in the European Union as a fuel for the production of heat and electrical energy, generating a considerable amount of ash. The disposal of ash, especially its finest fraction, requires proper engineering solutions, since these particles contain heavy metals and can
easily pollute soil, groundwater, or air. In this work, wood fly ash with a high amount of pozzolanic oxides and one with a high CaO content were used in concrete as a 15% and 30% cement replacement. Incorporation of wood ash in concrete reduced the 28-day compressive strength of concrete by up to 37%, which was attributed to the low stiffness of the wood ash particles, while the 2-year compressive strength indicated very low pozzolanic reactivity. The capillary absorption of concrete increased with the increase in the ash content, but almost no influence on the gas permeability was observed. Wood fly ash with high CaO content reduced the drying shrinkage of concrete by up to 65% after 1 year. In a mix with 30% of high CaO fly ash, swelling occurred in the first days of hydration, which was attributed to the volume expansion due to the formation of portlandite and brucite, but did not lead to cracking or a decrease in long-term compressive strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Trends in Sustainable Concrete and Its Structural Applications)
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