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Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials

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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: 10 July 2024 | Viewed by 12655

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Dr. Enrique Fernandez Ledesma

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Construction Engineering, University of Córdoba, Ed. Leonardo Da Vinci, Campus of Rabanales, 14071 Córdoba, Spain
Interests: concrete; masonry mortar; circular economy; environmental engineering; construction and demolition waste
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, waste generation is intended to promote the circular economy in all activities. Construction is one of the activities that generates the most waste and where different types of waste are most likely to be used. There are numerous research works, where new technologies and processes capable of increasing the use of different industrial waste in construction are being discussed and carried out. Concrete and mortar are materials that consume a large amount of natural resources and, therefore, they are materials with a high emphasis on the application of sustainable development.

The use of new by-products in construction is still necessary: New techniques for mixing and curing concrete and mortar allow for a more efficient use of industrial waste. How to use complementary and alternative cementitious materials to Portland cement. The use of alternative materials to construction filler and aggregates in general. There is still a wide range of advances in different aspects that allow increasing the options of obtaining sustainable construction materials.

The purpose of this Special Issue in Materials focuses on articles on new materials and innovative technologies on the recycling of industrial waste in construction and, thus, will contribute to the achievement of European green policies within the framework of the Circular Economy Action Plan, a future towards a competitive and climate-neutral economy where the environment is preserved. Original research or review articles with a clear application focus in these areas are requested.

Dr. Enrique Fernandez Ledesma
Guest Editor

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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

sustainable composites
recycled building materials
geopolymer concrete
circular economy
sustainable construction
recycled aggregates
revalorization

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 4153 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on and Model Analysis of Flexural Mechanical Properties of Basic Magnesium Sulfate Cement Concrete Beams

by Qiquan Mei, Yuning Gao, Hongfa Yu, Haiyan Ma, Xiangchao Zeng, Lingyu Li and Jianbo Guo

Materials 2024, 17(8), 1761; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17081761 - 11 Apr 2024

Viewed by 280

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the mechanical properties of Basic Magnesium Sulfate Cement Concrete (BMSC) in comparison to Ordinary Portland Cement Concrete (OPC) within reinforced concrete components. The main objective is to evaluate BMSC’s applicability for practical engineering purposes, with a focus on its with early high strength, improved toughness, and superior crack resistance compared to conventional concrete. Experimental procedures involved fabricating beam specimens using OPC concrete with a C40 strength grade, alongside BMSC beams with varying strength grades (C30, C40, and C50). These specimens underwent bending resistance tests to analyze crack patterns and mechanical characteristics. The findings reveal that BMSC beams demonstrate enhanced bending and tensile properties at equivalent strength grades compared to OPC beams. Particularly, cracking mainly occurred at the mid-span region of BMSC beams, characterized by narrower cracks, indicating superior crack resistance. However, it was noted that the toughness of BMSC beams decreases as the strength grade increases. The maximum mid-span deflection of the BMSC test beam was smaller than that of the OPC test beam, which was 3.8 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively. The maximum crack width of the OPC beam was 4.7 times that of the BMSC beam. To facilitate practical implementation, the study developed calculation models for estimating the crack bending distance and ultimate bending distance in BMSC beams, offering valuable tools for engineering design and optimization. Overall, this research provides significant insights into the mechanical behavior of BMSC, presenting potential advantages for structural engineering applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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19 pages, 3354 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analyzing the Role of Fe⁰ and Fe³⁺ in the Formation of Expanded Clay Aggregates

by José Manuel Moreno-Maroto, Beatriz González-Corrochano, Ana M. Martínez-Rodríguez, Antonio Conde-Sánchez, Carlos Javier Cobo-Ceacero, Jacinto Alonso-Azcárate, Manuel Uceda-Rodríguez, Ana B. López, Carmen Martínez-García and Teresa Cotes-Palomino

Materials 2023, 16(16), 5623; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16165623 - 14 Aug 2023

Viewed by 707

Abstract

The effect of the addition of Fe⁰ and Fe³⁺ on the formation of expanded clay aggregates was studied using iron-free kaolin as an aluminosilicates source. Likewise, the incorporation of cork powder as a source of organic carbon and Na₂CO₃ as a flux in the mixtures was investigated in order to assess its effect in combination with the iron phases. An experimental protocol, statistically supported by a mixture experiments/design of experiments approach, was applied to model and optimize the bloating index, density, absorption capacity, and mechanical strength. The process of expansion and pore generation and the associated decrease in density required the addition of iron, such that the optimum mixtures of these properties presented between 25 and 40 wt.% of Fe⁰ or Fe³⁺, as well as the incorporation of 3.5–5 wt.% of organic carbon. The addition of Fe³⁺ produced a greater volumetric expansion (max. 53%) than Fe⁰ (max. 8%), suggesting that the formation of the FeO leading to this phenomenon would require reducing and oxidizing conditions in the former and the latter, respectively. The experimental and model-estimated results are in good agreement, especially in the aggregates containing Fe⁰. This reinforces the application of statistical methods for future investigations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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14 pages, 4126 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Development of Pore Pressure in Cementitious Materials under Low Thermal Effects: Evidence from Optimization of Pore Structure by Incorporation of Fly Ash

by Wei Jiang, Dandan Zhang, Xinyue Zheng and Wenqian Li

Materials 2023, 16(12), 4214; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16124214 - 06 Jun 2023

Viewed by 794

Abstract

Studies on durability of cementitious materials have focused on harsh environments, but less attention has been paid to low thermal loading situations. In this paper, with the aim of exploring the evolution of internal pore pressure and microcrack extension of cementitious under low thermal environment, cement paste specimens with thermal environment slightly below 100 °C and three water–binder ratios (0.4, 0.45 and 0.5) and four fly ash admixtures (0, 10%, 20% and 30%) were designed. Firstly, the internal pore pressure of the cement paste was tested; secondly, the average effective pore pressure of the cement paste was calculated; and finally, the phase field method was used to explore the expansion of microcracks inside the cement paste when the temperature gradually increased. It was found that the internal pore pressure of the paste showed a decreasing trend as the water–binder ratio and fly ash admixture increased, and the numerical simulation found that the sprouting and development of cracks were delayed when 10% fly ash was added to the cement paste, which was consistent with the experimental results. This work provides a basis for the durability development of concrete under low thermal environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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20 pages, 3636 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Accelerated Carbonation of Vibro-Compacted Porous Concrete for Eco-Friendly Precast Elements

by Antonio Manuel Merino-Lechuga, Ágata González-Caro, Enrique Fernández-Ledesma, José Ramón Jiménez, José María Fernández-Rodríguez and David Suescum-Morales

Materials 2023, 16(8), 2995; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16082995 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1233

Abstract

This research studied the effect of accelerated carbonation in the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of a non-structural vibro-compacted porous concrete made with natural aggregates and two types of recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste (CDW). Natural aggregates were replaced by recycled aggregates using a volumetric substitution method and the CO₂ capture capacity was also calculated. Two hardening environments were used: a carbonation chamber with 5% CO₂ and a normal climatic chamber with atmospheric CO₂ concentration. The effect of curing times of 1, 3, 7, 14 and 28 days on concrete properties was also analysed. The accelerated carbonation increased the dry bulk density, decreased the accessible porosity water, improved the compressive strength and decreased the setting time to reach a higher mechanical strength. The maximum CO₂ capture ratio was achieved with the use of recycled concrete aggregate (52.52 kg/t). Accelerate carbonation conditions led to an increase in carbon capture of 525% compared to curing under atmospheric conditions. Accelerated carbonation of cement-based products containing recycled aggregates from construction and demolition waste is a promising technology for CO₂ capture and utilisation and a way to mitigate the effects of climate change, as well as promote the new circular economy paradigm. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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25 pages, 3280 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization and Modelling the Mechanical Performance of Date Palm Fiber-Reinforced Concrete Incorporating Powdered Activation Carbon Using Response Surface Methodology

by Musa Adamu, Yasser E. Ibrahim, Mahmoud M. Abdel daiem, Hani Alanazi, Oussama Elalaoui and Nageh M. Ali

Materials 2023, 16(8), 2977; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16082977 - 08 Apr 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1523

Abstract

Date palm fiber (DPF) has been reported to have many advantages when used in concrete, however, its major disadvantage is that it causes a reduction in compressive strength. In this research, powdered activated carbon (PAC) was added to cement in the DPF-reinforced concrete (DPFRC) to lessen the loss in strength. PAC has not been properly utilized as an additive in fiber reinforced concrete even though it has been reported to enhance the properties of cementitious composites. Response surface methodology (RSM) has also been utilized for experimental design, model development, results analysis, and optimization. The variables were DPF and PAC as additions each at proportions of 0%, 1%, 2%, and 3% by weight of cement. Slump, fresh density, mechanical strengths, and water absorption were the responses that were considered. From the results, both DPF and PAC decreased the workability of the concrete. DPF addition improved the splitting tensile and flexural strengths and reduced the compressive strength, and up to 2 wt% PAC addition enhanced the concrete’s strength and lowered the water absorption. The proposed models using RSM were extremely significant and have excellent predictive power for the concrete’s aforementioned properties. Each of the models was further validated experimentally and was found to have an average error of less than 5.5%. According to the results of the optimization, the optimal mix of 0.93 wt% DPF and 0.37 wt% PAC as cement additives resulted in the best properties of the DPFRC in terms of workability, strength, and water absorption. The optimization’s outcome received a 91% desirability rating. The addition of 1% PAC increased the 28-day compressive strength of the DPFRC containing 0%, 1% and 2% DPF by 9.67%, 11.13% and 5.5% respectively. Similarly, 1% PAC addition enhanced the 28-day split tensile strength of the DPFRC containing 0%, 1% and 2% by 8.54%, 11.08% and 19.3% respectively. Likewise, the 28-day flexural strength of DPFRC containing 0%, 1%, 2% and 3% improved by 8.3%, 11.15%, 18.7% and 6.73% respectively with the addition of 1% PAC. Lastly, 1% PAC addition led to a reduction in the water absorption of DPFRC containing 0% and 1% DPF by 17.93% and 12.2% respectively. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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16 pages, 3644 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Mix Design on Physical, Mechanical and Durability Properties of Multi-Recycled Aggregate Concrete

by Jeonghyun Kim, Anna M. Grabiec, Andrzej Ubysz, Sungchul Yang and Namho Kim

Materials 2023, 16(7), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16072744 - 29 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1131

Abstract

The decrease in the quality of recycled aggregate due to an increase in the number of recycling is a primary factor that limits the multi-recycling of concrete. This degradation adversely affects concrete performance; thus, the characteristics of recycled aggregate should be considered during the mix design stage, but little research has taken that into account. This study investigates the effect of the equivalent mortar volume (EMV) mix design on some physical, mechanical and durability properties of concrete made of multiple recycled coarse aggregates at 50% and 100% replacement ratios compared to concrete made by the conventional mix design (CMD). The results showed that the performances of concrete by the CMD decreased with an increasing number of recycling cycles. The properties of EMV-based concrete deteriorated with an increase in the number of recycling cycles at 100% replacement ratio due to poor workability caused by a shortage of fresh mortar. However, at 50% replacement, the EMV-based concrete exhibited similar performance across the three cycles of recycling, as well as improved properties over natural aggregate concrete. This study demonstrated that an appropriate mix design and optimal aggregate replacement ratio can offset the property loss of multiple recycled aggregate concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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12 pages, 2194 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on the Binary Hydraulic Kinetics Model of Glass Powder-Cement: Numerical Simulation

by Yang Ming, Ling Li, Hao Ren, Ping Chen and Xuandong Chen

Materials 2023, 16(5), 1957; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16051957 - 27 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1054

Abstract

As supplementary cementitious material, glass powder has been widely used in concrete, and many investigations on the mechanical properties of glass powder concrete have been carried out. However, there is a lack of investigations on the binary hydration kinetics model of glass powder-cement. Based on the pozzolanic reaction mechanism of glass powder, the purpose of this paper is to establish a theoretical model of the binary hydraulic kinetics model of glass powder-cement to investigate the effect of glass powder on cement hydration. The hydration process of glass powder-cement mixed cementitious materials with different glass powder contents (e.g., 0, 20%, 50%) was simulated using the finite element method (FEM). The numerical simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental data of hydration heat in the literature, which verifies the reliability of the proposed model. The results show that the glass powder can dilute and accelerate the hydration of cement. Compared to the sample with 5% glass powder content, the hydration degree of the glass powder decreased by 42.3% for the sample with 50% glass powder content. More importantly, the reactivity of the glass powder decreases exponentially with the increase in the glass particle size. In addition, the reactivity of the glass powder tends to be stable when the glass particle size is greater than 90 μm. With the increase in the replacement rate of the glass powder, the reactivity of the glass powder decreases. When the replacement rate of the glass powder is greater than 45%, the concentration of CH reaches a peak at the early stage of the reaction. The research in this paper reveals the hydration mechanism of glass powder and provides a theoretical basis for the application of glass powder in concrete. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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22 pages, 5556 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Effects of Refining Slag on Properties and Hydration of Cemented Solid Waste-Based Backfill

by Chang Tang, Xinli Mu, Wen Ni, Dong Xu and Keqing Li

Materials 2022, 15(23), 8338; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15238338 - 23 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1159

Abstract

This study used refining slag (RS), ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), steel slag (SS), and desulfurized gypsum (DG) to prepare a mine-filling cementitious material. The developed cementitious material and tailings sand were mixed to prepare a novel mine backfill material with better performance and a lower cost. The macroscopic properties and hydration mechanism of the cemented solid waste-based backfill were investigated when RS content was 0, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 30% and 40%. The results showed that introducing RS could reduce the bleeding rate and shorten the setting time of backfill slurry while significantly enhancing the 3-day compressive strength of backfill. Compared to JL-0, the bleeding rate decreased by 50.3% as the RS content was raised to 15%, while the setting time was shortened by 36.5%, and the 3-day compressive strength increased by 4.3 times. As the RS content did not exceed 20%, the 28-day compressive strength of the backfill was not lower than that of the cement backfill (4.3 MPa). The results of microanalysis (including XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TG-DSC, and heat of hydration) revealed that the hydration products of the RS-GGBS-SS-DG quaternary material are primarily C-(A)-S-H gels and AFt. The main effect of RS is to improve the content of aluminates, accelerating and increasing the production of AFt, thus leading to faster overall hydration. This research can provide data support for the application of RS in the mine-filling field. Applying quaternary solid waste-based cementitious materials in the mine-filling field has good economic benefits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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Review

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30 pages, 3270 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Overview of Photocatalytic Membrane Degradation Development

by Mojtaba Binazadeh, Jamal Rasouli, Samad Sabbaghi, Seyyed Mojtaba Mousavi, Seyyed Alireza Hashemi and Chin Wei Lai

Materials 2023, 16(9), 3526; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16093526 - 04 May 2023

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 3802

Abstract

Environmental pollution has become a worldwide issue. Rapid industrial and agricultural practices have increased organic contaminants in water supplies. Hence, many strategies have been developed to address this concern. In order to supply clean water for various applications, high-performance treatment technology is required to effectively remove organic and inorganic contaminants. Utilizing photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) has shown promise as a viable alternative process in the water and wastewater industry due to its efficiency, low cost, simplicity, and low environmental impact. PMRs are commonly categorized into two main categories: those with the photocatalyst suspended in solution and those with the photocatalyst immobilized in/on a membrane. Herein, the working and fouling mechanisms in PMRs membranes are investigated; the interplay of fouling and photocatalytic activity and the development of fouling prevention strategies are elucidated; and the significance of photocatalysis in membrane fouling mechanisms such as pore plugging and cake layering is thoroughly explored. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Transforming Industrial Waste into Sustainable Construction Materials)

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