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Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2

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A special issue of Materials (ISSN 1996-1944). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction and Building Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 December 2023) | Viewed by 7323

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Prof. Dr. Moncef L. Nehdi

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Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Western University, London, ON N6A 5B9, Canada
Interests: resilient infrastructure systems; artificial intelligence; sustainability; eco-friendly structures; cement and concrete
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The cement and concrete industry is the world’s primary consumer of natural resources, and is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. To mitigate climate change and the threat to biodiversity, we need to produce eco-efficient and highly durable cement and concrete composites that meet the ever-increasing demand for enhanced mechanical performance and resiliency. This Special Issue seeks novel and impactful research on eco-efficient and sustainable cement and concrete; geopolymers and alkali-activated binders; self-healing, bio-inspired, multi-functional, stimuli-responsive, and other advanced and emerging engineered cement and concrete composites; pertinent studies on rheology, mechanical performance, and durability; life-cycle analysis studies; and numerical, artificial intelligence, and other modeling of cement and concrete composites.

Prof. Dr. Moncef L. Nehdi
Guest Editor

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Keywords

cement
concrete
alkali-activated materials
sustainability
durability
rheology
mechanical properties
modeling
artificial intelligence
life-cycle analysis

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 10798 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects and Mechanism of Hyperbranched Phosphate Polycarboxylate Superplasticizers on Reducing Viscosity of Cement Paste

by Jing Chen, Changhui Yang, Yan He, Futao Wang and Chao Zeng

Materials 2024, 17(8), 1896; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17081896 - 19 Apr 2024

Viewed by 196

Abstract

The adsorption behavior and dispersing capability of hyperbranched phosphated polycarboxylate superplasticizers (PCEs) containing phosphate monoester and phosphate diester were investigated. The hyperbranched structures were constructed using a special monomer dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (DMAMEA) to create the branches during the polymerization. Meanwhile, the polymer architectures were tailored by varying the content of phosphate monoester and phosphate diester in the backbone via free radical solution polymerization. In contrast to comb-like PCE, hyperbranched PCEs presented a weaker dispersion capability at w/c = 0.29, but with a lower water-to-cement ratio (w/c), the hyperbranched PCEs exhibited a better dispersion capability than the comb-like PCEs. The dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis showed that the adsorption layer of hyperbranched PCEs were thicker than that of comb-like PCEs. A thicker adsorption layer thickness generated thinner diffusion water layer thickness. The increase of the free water amount due to the thinner water diffusion layer is the key mechanism for improving the dispersibility and decreasing the viscosity of cement paste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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17 pages, 6041 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhanced Microwave Deicing Capacity of Cement Pavement with Carbon Fiber Screens

by Jiangjiang Li, Peng Zhao, Minghai Jing, Xiao Luo, Jiaqi Guo and Fei Zhang

Materials 2024, 17(7), 1488; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071488 - 25 Mar 2024

Viewed by 423

Abstract

The combination of an absorbing structure and a road is a promising strategy for road deicing using microwaves. In this study, cement mortar (CM) specimens containing a carbon fiber screen (CFS) were prepared to concentrate electromagnetic losses on a road surface. The effect of the size and depth of the CFS on the surface heating efficiency of the microwave was studied and optimized, and a microwave deicing experiment was conducted. The results indicated that the destructive interference produced by the CFS led to the effective surface heating of the CM/CFS specimens. The optimal surface heating rate was 0.83 °C/s when the spacing, depth, and width of the CFS were 5.22, 13.31, and 2.80 mm, respectively. The deicing time was shortened by 21.68% from 83 to 65 s, and the heating rate increased by 17.14% from 0.70 to 0.82 °C/s for the specimen with CFS-1, which was 15 mm depth. Our results demonstrate that CM/CFS composite structures can be effectively applied to increase the capacity and accelerate the development of the microwave deicing of roads. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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18 pages, 3796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cs⁺ Promoting the Diffusion of K⁺ and Inhibiting the Generation of Newberyite in Struvite-K Cements: Experiments and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Calculations

by Difei Leng, Qiuyan Fu, Yunlu Ge, Chenhao He, Yang Lv and Xiangguo Li

Materials 2024, 17(4), 814; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17040814 - 08 Feb 2024

Viewed by 513

Abstract

Struvite-K cements, also called magnesium potassium phosphate cements (MKPCs), are applicable for particular applications, especially the immobilization of radioactive Cs⁺ in the nuclear industry. This work focuses on how Cs⁺ affects the hydration mechanism of struvite-K cements because newberyite and brucite in the hydration products are deemed to be risky products that result in cracking. Experiments and molecular dynamics simulations showed that Cs⁺ promoted the diffusion of K⁺ to the surface of MgO, which greatly facilitates the formation of more K-struvite crystals, inhibiting the formation of newberyite and brucite. A total of 0.02 M Cs⁺ resulted in a 40.44%, 13.93%, 60.81%, and 32.18% reduction in the amount of newberyite and brucite, and the Cs immobilization rates were 99.07%, 99.84%, 99.87%, and 99.83% when the ratios of Mg/P were 1, 3, 5, and 7, respectively. This provides new evidence of stability for struvite-K cements on radioactive Cs⁺ immobilization. Surprisingly, another new crystal, [CsPO₃·H₂O]₄, was found to be a dominating Cs-containing phase in Cs-immobilizing struvite-K cements, in addition to Cs-struvite. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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20 pages, 6073 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Modeling of the Dynamic Elastic Modulus of Concrete

by Gustavo de Miranda Saleme Gidrão, Ricardo Carrazedo, Rúbia Mara Bosse, Laura Silvestro, Rodrigo Ribeiro and Carlos Francisco Pecapedra de Souza

Materials 2023, 16(11), 3955; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16113955 - 25 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 837

Abstract

This article introduces simulations of theoretical material with controlled properties for the evaluation of the effect of key parameters, as volumetric fractions, elastic properties of each phase and transition zone on the effective dynamic elastic modulus. The accuracy level of classical homogenization models was checked regarding the prediction of dynamic elastic modulus. Numerical simulations were performed with the finite element method for evaluations of the natural frequencies and their correlation with E_d through frequency equations. An acoustic test validated the numerical results and obtained the elastic modulus of concretes and mortars at 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 water–cement ratios. Hirsch calibrated according to the numerical simulation (x = 0.27) exhibited a realistic behavior for concretes of w/c = 0.3 and 0.5, with a 5% error. However, when the water-to-cement ratio (w/c) was set to 0.7, Young’s modulus displayed a resemblance to the Reuss model, akin to the simulated theoretical triphasic materials, considering matrix, coarse aggregate and a transition zone. Hashin-Shtrikman bounds is not perfectly applied to theoretical biphasic materials under dynamic situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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24 pages, 5396 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructural and Mechanical Characteristics of Alkali-Activated Binders Composed of Milled Fly Ash and Granulated Blast Furnace Slag with µ-Limestone Addition

by Francisco Vázquez-Rodríguez, Nora Elizondo, Myriam Montes-González, Cristian Gómez-Rodríguez, Yadira González-Carranza, Ana M. Guzmán and Edén A. Rodríguez

Materials 2023, 16(10), 3818; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16103818 - 18 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1267

Abstract

Concrete is the most used construction material, needing large quantities of Portland cement. Unfortunately, Ordinary Portland Cement production is one of the main generators of CO₂, which pollutes the atmosphere. Today, geopolymers are an emerging building material generated by the chemical activity of inorganic molecules without the Portland Cement addition. The most common alternative cementitious agents used in the cement industry are blast-furnace slag and fly ash. In the present work, the effect of 5 wt.% µ-limestone in mixtures of granulated blast-furnace slag and fly ash activated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) at different concentrations was studied to evaluate the physical properties in the fresh and hardened states. The effect of µ-limestone was explored through XRD, SEM-EDS, atomic absorption, etc. The addition of µ-limestone increased the compressive strength reported values from 20 to 45 MPa at 28 days. It was found by atomic absorption that the CaCO₃ of the μ-limestone dissolved in NaOH, precipitating Ca(OH)₂ as the reaction product. SEM-EDS analysis showed a chemical interaction between C-A-S-H- and N-A-S-H-type gels with Ca(OH)₂, forming (N, C)A-S-H- and C-(N)-A-S-H-type gels, improving mechanical performance and microstructural properties. The addition of μ-limestone appeared like a promising and cheap alternative for enhancing the properties of low-molarity alkaline cement since it helped exceed the 20 MPa strength recommended by current regulations for conventional cement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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22 pages, 8713 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation of Alkali-Activated Slag-Based Composite Incorporating Dehydrated Cement Powder and Red Mud

by Aref A. Abadel, Hussam Alghamdi, Yousef R. Alharbi, Mohammed Alamri, Mohammad Khawaji, Mohammed A. M. Abdulaziz and Moncef L. Nehdi

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1551; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041551 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 20 | Viewed by 1628

Abstract

Recycled construction cementitious materials (RCCM) and red mud (RM) could be considered a type of discarded material with potential cementitious properties. Generally, landfilling and stacking are utilized to dispose of this type of solid waste, which can be detrimental to the environment and sustainability of the construction sector. Accordingly, a productive process for making eco-efficient alkali-activated slag-based samples with the inclusion of RCCM and red mud is studied in this paper. Dehydrated cement powder (DCP) is attained through the high-temperature treatment of RCCM, and red mud can be obtained from the alumina industry. Subsequently, DCP and RM are utilized as a partial substitute for granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) in alkali-activated mixtures. Two different batches were designed; the first batch had only DCP at a dosage of 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% as a partial substitute for GBFS, and the second batch had both DCP and RM at 15%, 30%, 45%, and 60% as a partial substitute for GBFS. Different strength and durability characteristics were assessed. The findings show that when both dehydrated cement powder and red mud are utilized in high quantities, the strength and durability of the specimens were enhanced, with compressive strength improving by 42.2% at 28 days. Such improvement was obtained when 7.5% each of DCP and RM were added. The results revealed that DCP and RM have a negative effect on workability, whilst they had a positive impact on the drying shrinkage as well as the mechanical strength. X-ray diffraction and micro-structural analysis showed that when the amount of DCP and RM is increased, a smaller number of reactive products forms, and the microstructure was denser than in the case of the samples made with DCP alone. It was also confirmed that when DCP and RM are used at optimized dosages, they can be a potential sustainable binder substitute; thus, valorizing wastes and inhibiting their negative environmental footprint. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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Review

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34 pages, 3156 KiB

Open AccessReview

Structural Performance of Infilled Steel–Concrete Composite Thin-Walled Columns Combined with FRP and CFRP: A Comprehensive Review

by S. M. Priok Rashid and Alireza Bahrami

Materials 2023, 16(4), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16041564 - 13 Feb 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 1854

Abstract

Fiber addition enhances the composite action between the steel tube and concrete core, increasing the strength of the concrete core. To better understand how fiber-reinforced infilled steel–concrete composite thin-walled columns (SCTWCs) behave, multiple investigations have been conducted using both experimental and analytical methods. This article provides a comprehensive review of SCTWCs’ confinement approaches using fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) and carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). In this research, the behavior and formation of FRP and CFRP wrappings of the SCTWCs are reviewed and discussed. The ability of the FRP to serve as a confining material and reinforcement for the columns has increased its use in columns applications. The FRP can be applied to reinforce the structures from the exterior. By applying the CFRP strips, the columns’ load-carrying capacity is improved up to 30% when compared with their corresponding un-strengthened columns. External bonding of the CFRP strips efficiently creates external confinement pressure, prevents local buckling of the steel tubes, and enhances the load-carrying capacity of the SCTWCs. The primary goal is to facilitate a clear understanding of the SCTWCs. This article helps structural researchers and engineers better understand the behavior of the SCTWCs that include the FRP and CFRP composites as external reinforcement. Future research directions are also suggested, which utilize previous research works. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Cement and Concrete Composites - Volume 2)

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