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Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition
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Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 May 2024 | Viewed by 4971

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Long Li

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Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: recycled aggregate concrete; alkali-activated materials; carbonation; 3D concrete printing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Pujin Wang

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Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: computer vision; deep learning; machine learning; material design; structure monitoring
Dr. Jie Xiao

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Guest Editor
School of Civil and Transportation Engineering, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China
Interests: concrete durability; sulfuric acid corrosion; ultra-high performance concrete; fractal dimension characterization
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Lingfei Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Transportation, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Foshan University, Foshan 528225, China
Interests: seismic performance; ECC; strengthening of existing structures

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The CO2 emission content released by the construction industry totals half of all CO2 emissions around the world, and a large portion is generated due to the production of construction materials. For example, the production of construction materials contributes to about 27% of the total CO2 emissions in China. Therefore, we must develop low-carbon construction materials to realize carbon neutrality.

Large amounts of construction and demolition waste (e.g., waste concrete, brick, glass, wood, timber, and so on) are generated every year. The recycling of construction and demolition waste can effectively reduce the amount of landfill waste and save natural resources. It is important for the sustainable development of the construction industry.

The aim of this Special Issue is to encourage scientists and researchers to publish experimental and theoretical findings or solutions on low-carbon and green materials in construction. The topics for this Special Issue include (but not limited to) the following:

  • Low-carbon concrete;
  • Recycled aggregate concrete;
  • Alkali-activated materials;
  • Ultra-high performance concrete;
  • 3D-printed concrete;
  • Carbonation;
  • Machine learning;
  • Engineered cementitious composites (ECC).

Your contributions are welcome.

Dr. Long Li
Dr. Pujin Wang
Dr. Jie Xiao
Dr. Lingfei Liu
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. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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 2600 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

  • low-carbon materials
  • recycled aggregate concrete
  • alkali-activated materials
  • 3D concrete printing
  • carbonation
  • ultra-high performance concrete
  • ECC
  • machine learning

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 3031 KiB  
Article
Effect of Calcium Aluminate and Carbide Slag on Mechanical Property and Hydration Mechanism of Supersulfated Cement
by Guangzheng Qi, Qiang Zhang and Zhengning Sun
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 930; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14040930 - 28 Mar 2024
Viewed by 466
Abstract
Supersulfated cement (SSC), a low-carbon, energy-efficient, eco-friendly cementitious material, is mainly made from industrial byproducts. However, SSC’s slow early strength development leads to inadequate initial hardening and reduced durability, which restricts its practical application. This study investigated the potential enhancement of SSC by [...] Read more.
Supersulfated cement (SSC), a low-carbon, energy-efficient, eco-friendly cementitious material, is mainly made from industrial byproducts. However, SSC’s slow early strength development leads to inadequate initial hardening and reduced durability, which restricts its practical application. This study investigated the potential enhancement of SSC by incorporating calcium aluminate (CA) and carbide slag (CS) alongside anhydrite as activators to address its slow early strength development. The effects of varying CA and CS proportions on the mechanical property and hydration mechanism of CA-CS-SSC were examined. Results indicate that employing 1% CA and 4% CS as alkaline activators effectively activates slag hydration in the 1CA-4CS-SSC, achieving a compressive strength of 9.7 MPa at 1 day. Despite the limited improvement in early compressive strength of other mixtures with higher CA and lower CS proportions in the CA-CS-SSC system, all mixtures exhibited enhanced compressive strength during long-term hydration. After 90 days, ettringite formation in the CA-CS-SSC system decelerated, whereas anhydrite remained. Concurrently, the formation of C-S-H continued to increase, promoting late compressive strength. The mechanism for enhancing the early compressive strength of the CA-CS-SSC system is attributed to the swift hydration of CA with anhydrite, dissolution of fine slag particles, and reaction with anhydrite under conditions with suitable alkali content to augment the ettringite production. This process also generates a C-S-H and OH-hydrotalcite to fill the void in the skeleton structure formed by ettringite, resulting in a dense microstructure that improves early compressive strength. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 7414 KiB  
Article
A Study on the Factors Influencing High Backfill Slope Reinforced with Anti-Slide Piles under Static Load Based on Numerical Simulation
by Baogui Zhou, Huabin Zhong, Kaipeng Yang, Xueqiang Yang, Chifeng Cai, Jie Xiao, Yongjian Liu and Bingxiang Yuan
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 799; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030799 - 15 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 482
Abstract
Based on a real engineering case, this study employs the MIDAS finite element software to model the reinforced high embankment slope using anti-sliding piles. The accuracy of the finite element method is verified by comparing calculated outcomes with field monitoring data. Expanding on [...] Read more.
Based on a real engineering case, this study employs the MIDAS finite element software to model the reinforced high embankment slope using anti-sliding piles. The accuracy of the finite element method is verified by comparing calculated outcomes with field monitoring data. Expanding on this foundation, an analysis of factors influencing the reinforced high embankment slope is undertaken to scrutinize the impact of diverse elements on the slope and ascertain the optimal reinforcement strategy. The results reveal the following: The principal displacement observed in the high embankment slope is a vertical settlement, which escalates with the backfill height. Notably, the highest settlement does not manifest at the summit of the initial slope; instead, it emerges close to the summits of the subsequent two slopes. However, the maximum horizontal displacement at the slope’s zenith diminishes as the fill height increases—a trend that aligns with both field observations and finite element computations. The examination of the influence of anti-sliding pile reinforcement on the high embankment slope unveils that factors like the length, diameter, spacing, and positioning of the anti-sliding piles exert minor impacts on vertical settlement, while variations in the parameters of the anti-sliding piles significantly affect the slope’s horizontal displacement. When using anti-sliding piles to reinforce multi-level high embankment slopes, factoring in the extent of horizontal displacement variation and potential cost savings, the optimal parameters for the anti-sliding piles are a length of 15 m, a diameter of 1.5 m, and a spacing of 2.5 m, presenting the most effective combination to ensure superior slope stability and support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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17 pages, 5975 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation on the Influence of Strength Grade on the Surface Fractal Dimension of Concrete under Sulfuric Acid Attack
by Jie Xiao, Hehui Zeng, Huanqiang Huang, Lingfei Liu, Long Li, Bingxiang Yuan and Zucai Zhong
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 713; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030713 - 07 Mar 2024
Viewed by 491
Abstract
The corrosion of alkaline concrete materials exposed to a sulfuric acid environment is becoming more and more prevalent, and its damage assessment is becoming more and more imperative. This study aims to describe the corroded surfaces of concrete with different strength grades (C30, [...] Read more.
The corrosion of alkaline concrete materials exposed to a sulfuric acid environment is becoming more and more prevalent, and its damage assessment is becoming more and more imperative. This study aims to describe the corroded surfaces of concrete with different strength grades (C30, C50, C80) in sulfuric acid environments in terms of their three-dimensional fractal dimension. Three kinds of concrete with varying strength grades, namely C30, C50, and C80, were immersed in a sulfuric acid solution with pH ≈ 0.85 for four distinct corrosion durations, specifically 0, 28, 56, and 165 days, in accelerated corrosion tests. The 3D laser scanning technique was utilized to capture the 3D coordinates of the surface points of the concrete cylinder before and after corrosion. The fractal dimension of concrete’s uneven surface before and after corrosion was computed via the cube covering method, and the mass loss of the concrete specimen was also obtained. The outcomes demonstrate that the three-dimensional fractal dimension provides a new method for characterizing the degree of corrosion deterioration of concrete samples affected by sulfuric acid via laser scanning technology. From the perspective of the appearance, mass loss, and fractal dimension of a rough surface in the sulfuric acid environment at a pH level of approximately 0.85, the degree of the corrosion deterioration of concrete is ranked from high to low as C80 > C50 > C30. These fractal dimensions of the concrete’s corroded surfaces with various strength grades increase rapidly in the initial period. However, as the corrosion time progresses, the growth rate of the corroded surface fractal dimension gradually decelerates and tends towards stability, which accords with the law of exponential function. The widespread belief is that the higher the strength grade of concrete, the better its durability; however, this pattern varies in sulfuric acid corrosive environments. Therefore, based on this research, it is recommended that in extremely acidic environments (i.e., very low pH), more attention should be paid to high-strength grades of concrete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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18 pages, 4998 KiB  
Article
Flexural Behavior of Alkali-Activated Ultra-High-Performance Geopolymer Concrete Beams
by Jie Su, Jiandong Tan, Kai Li and Zhi Fang
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030701 - 06 Mar 2024
Viewed by 471
Abstract
Ultra-high-performance geopolymer concrete (UHPGC) emerges as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to Portland cement-based UHPC, offering similar mechanical properties while significantly reducing carbon footprint and energy consumption. Research on UHPGC components is extremely scarce. This study focuses on the flexural and crack behavior [...] Read more.
Ultra-high-performance geopolymer concrete (UHPGC) emerges as a sustainable and cost-effective alternative to Portland cement-based UHPC, offering similar mechanical properties while significantly reducing carbon footprint and energy consumption. Research on UHPGC components is extremely scarce. This study focuses on the flexural and crack behavior of UHPGC beams with different steel fiber contents and longitudinal reinforcement ratios. Five UHPGC beams were tested under four-point bending. The test results were evaluated in terms of the failure mode, load–deflection relationship, flexural capacity, ductility, average crack spacing, and short-term flexural stiffness. The results show that all the UHPGC beams failed due to crack localization. Increases in the reinforcement ratio and steel fiber content had favorable effects on the flexural capacity and flexural stiffness. When the reinforcement ratio increased from 1.18% to 2.32%, the flexural capacity and flexural stiffness increased by 60.5% and 12.3%, respectively. As the steel fiber content increased from 1.5% to 2.5%, the flexural capacity and flexural stiffness increased by 4.7% and 4.4%, respectively. Furthermore, the flexural capacity, flexural stiffness, and crack spacing of the UHPGC beams were evaluated using existing methods. The results indicate that the existing methods can effectively predict flexural capacity and flexural stiffness in UHPGC beams but overestimate crack spacing. This study will provide a reference for the structural design of UHPGC. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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16 pages, 4543 KiB  
Article
Assessment of CO2 Capture in FA/GGBS-Blended Cement Systems: From Cement Paste to Commercial Products
by Jingxian Liu, Yingyu Wu, Fulin Qu, Hanbing Zhao and Yilin Su
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 154; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010154 - 08 Jan 2024
Viewed by 898
Abstract
The cement industry’s intricate production process, including kiln heating and fossil fuel use, contributes 5–8% of global CO2 emissions, marking it as a significant carbon emitter in construction. This study focuses on quantifying CO2 capture potential in blended cement systems through [...] Read more.
The cement industry’s intricate production process, including kiln heating and fossil fuel use, contributes 5–8% of global CO2 emissions, marking it as a significant carbon emitter in construction. This study focuses on quantifying CO2 capture potential in blended cement systems through the utilisation of phenolphthalein and thermalgravimetric methodologies. Its primary objective is to assess the CO2 absorption capacity of these blended systems’ pastes. Initial evaluation involves calculating the carbon capture capacity within the paste, subsequently extended to estimate CO2 content in the resultant concrete products. The findings indicate that incorporating ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) or an ettringite-based expansive agent did not notably elevate carbonation depth, irrespective of their fineness. Conversely, the introduction of fly ash (FA) notably augmented the carbonation depth, leading to a substantial 36.4% rise in captured CO2 content. The observed distinctions in carbonation behaviour primarily stem from variances in pore structure, attributable to distinct hydration characteristics between GGBS and FA. Thermal analysis confirms the increased stabilisation of CO2 in FA blends, highlighting the crucial influence of material composition on carbonation and emission reduction. Incorporating both GGBS and FA notably diminishes binder emissions, constituting almost half of PC-concrete emissions. Initially, 60% GGBS shows lower emissions than 50% FA, but when considering CO2 capture, this emission dynamic significantly changes, emphasising the intricate influence of additives on emission patterns. This underscores the complexity of evaluating carbonation-induced emissions in cementitious systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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15 pages, 5512 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Behavior of Compression-Compacted Dry Concrete Paver Blocks Making Use of Sea Sand and Seawater
by Pengcheng Guo, Qicheng Wang, Jia Liu, Tengfei Wang, Junliang Zhao and Dongyan Wu
Buildings 2023, 13(12), 2979; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13122979 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 707
Abstract
Dry concrete is a kind of concrete whose fresh mixture has almost no flowability and is widely used in the production of small-size unreinforced compression-compacted concrete blocks in plants. Considering the shortage of natural river sand and freshwater for concrete production, this study [...] Read more.
Dry concrete is a kind of concrete whose fresh mixture has almost no flowability and is widely used in the production of small-size unreinforced compression-compacted concrete blocks in plants. Considering the shortage of natural river sand and freshwater for concrete production, this study proposes that sea sand and seawater can be directly used in the manufacture of compression-compacted dry concrete paver blocks. The idea was verified in the laboratory to find suitable mix proportions and forming pressure, which are two key parameters for the production of paver blocks. Furthermore, the effect of sea sand replacement ratio and seawater replacement ratio is investigated, where compression and flexural tensile tests were conducted on lab-made paver blocks at different ages. The experimental results reveal that both the compressive and flexural tensile strengths of paver blocks increased when sea sand and seawater were adopted. It is finally suggested that sea sand and seawater are suitable for the production of unreinforced paver blocks with enhanced mechanical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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13 pages, 2203 KiB  
Article
Study on Resourceful Treatment and Carbon Reduction Intensity of Metro Shield Slag: An Example of a Tunnel Interval of Shenzhen Line 13
by Gang Chen, Wei Li, Fangsheng Yang, Taibo Cao, Zezhou Wu, Yun Lu and Chenwei Wu
Buildings 2023, 13(11), 2816; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13112816 - 10 Nov 2023
Viewed by 757
Abstract
At present, the scale of subway construction in Chinese cities has reached a new height, and the shield slag produced by it has also surged year by year. Untreated subway shield slag not only occupies the space resources of the country, but also [...] Read more.
At present, the scale of subway construction in Chinese cities has reached a new height, and the shield slag produced by it has also surged year by year. Untreated subway shield slag not only occupies the space resources of the country, but also carries CO2, which causes negative impacts on the environment and which, as a result, is not conducive to the realization of the goal of the national “double-carbon” strategy. Therefore, how to effectively manage the shield slag produced by subway construction has become a scientific problem that needs to be solved urgently. In order to scientifically dispose of metro shield slag and quantify the carbon reduction intensity of its disposal, based on the new shield slag integrated recycling technology, and taking a tunnel interval of Shenzhen Line 13 as an example, this study systematically sorted out the shield slag disposal process, clarified the management path of the on-site resource utilization of slag, and quantitatively compared the carbon emissions before and after the treatment as well as carbon reduction intensity. The results show that the on-site disposal process is basically feasible, and that, it is possible to achieve a shield structure slag reduction of resource products and mud cake water content of less than 40% of the target, in the case of 160,000 m3 of shield structure slag resource utilization after a total carbon reduction of about 4240.13 t CO2, of which each preparation of 1 m3 of recycled bricks can bring about a benefit of carbon reduction of 240.09 kg CO2. Compared with the conventional mud head truck slag disposal, shield structure slag resource utilization can save a utilization cost of about 10.4 million yuan, meaning that, in terms of economic and social levels, this method can achieve good benefits. This case verifies the feasibility of the new technology, and the results of the study can provide experience for other metro projects’ shield slag resource utilization, and provide stakeholders with a shield slag recycling management strategy for government departments to scientifically formulate metro shield slag management policy to provide data support. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Low-Carbon and Green Materials in Construction—2nd Edition)
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