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Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars

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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 November 2022) | Viewed by 29625

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Prof. Dr. Belén González-Fonteboa

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Guest Editor

School of Civil Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering, University of A Coruña, Campus Elviña s/n, 15071 La Coruña, Spain
Interests: sustainable concrete; concrete rheology; byproduct for cement-based materials; self-compacting concrete; lime-based materials; internal curing agents
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental degradation is one of the most important problems humankind must confront. In recent decades, around the world and especially in developed societies, concerns around the environment have been growing. In the construction sector, materials with a low carbon footprint, that is, sustainable and durable, with a long service life, are being promoted more and more. In the case of concrete and mortar, there are different strategies to meet these two challenges. To improve durability, the design of self-repairing concretes has recently arisen. Using recycled materials and replacing the granular skeleton or finding alternatives to clinkers are some of the most widespread procedures to improve sustainability in cement-based materials.

Self-repairing concrete is a concrete that can seal small cracks by itself, that is, without human intervention. Two different strategies can be used to achieve a self-healing behavior, autogenous healing and autonomous healing. The former uses mechanisms such as carbonation, expansion agents, fibers, mineral additions or internal curing agents. The latter, by contrast, employs unconventional additions such as bacteria or shape memory alloys. Many recycled aggregates (obtained from different industrial processes) have been used replacing conventional ones: construction and demolition waste, coal bottom ash or tire rubber are some of the examples that can be found in the literature. In addition, reducing the clinker content is one of the best procedures to reduce the carbon footprint of cement-based materials. In this regard, natural stone waste powder, fly ash or biomass ash are some of the materials used to develop blended cements. It is thus clear that some of the materials that improve sustainability can also be used to promote self-healing behavior, improving durability.

In this context, this Special Issue will focus on the development and characterization of durable eco-concretes and mortars based on the use of recycled aggregates, low clinker cements or self-repairing agents and their combination. It is my pleasure to invite you to submit a manuscript to this Special Issue. Full papers, communications, and reviews are all welcome.

Prof. Dr. Belén González-Fonteboa
Guest Editor

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Keywords

durability
eco-cement-based materials
self-healing
byproducts
low clinker cements
internal curing
fiber-reinforced concretes
self-compacting

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 4064 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of CaO Sourced from CaCO₃ or CaSO₄ on Phase Formation and Mineral Composition of Iron-Rich Calcium Sulfoaluminate Clinker

by Wen Jiang, Changliang Wu, Chao Zhang, Xujiang Wang, Yuzhong Li, Shuang Wu, Yonggang Yao, Jingwei Li and Wenlong Wang

Materials 2023, 16(2), 643; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma16020643 - 9 Jan 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1462

Abstract

The performance of iron-rich calcium sulfoaluminate (IR-CSA) cement is greatly affected by mineral composition and mineral activity in the clinker. This study aims to identify the effect of CaO sources, either CaCO₃ or CaSO₄, on the phase formation and mineral composition of the IR-CSA clinker. Targeted samples were prepared with different proportions of CaCO₃ and CaSO₄ as CaO sources at 1300 °C for 45 min. Multiple methods were used to identify the mineralogical conditions. The results indicate that the mineral composition and performance of the IR-CSA clinker could be optimized by adjusting the CaO source. Both Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ tend to incorporate into C₄A_3−xF_x

\bar{S}

with an increase in CaSO₄ as a CaO source, which leads to an increased content of C₄A_3−xF_x

\bar{S}

but a decreased ferrite phase. In addition, clinkers prepared with CaSO₄ as a CaO source showed much higher x value in C₄A_3−xF_x

\bar{S}

and higher compressive strength than clinker prepared with CaCO₃ as the sole CaO source. The crystal types of both C₄A_3−xF_x

\bar{S}

and C₂S were also affected, but showed different trends with the transition of the CaO source. The findings provide a possible method to produce IR-CSA cement at a low cost through cooperative utilization of waste gypsum and iron-bearing industrial solid wastes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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15 pages, 5708 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Mechanical Strength and Thermal Properties of Cement Concrete Containing Waste Materials as Substitutes for Fine Aggregate

by Paweł Łukowski, Elżbieta Horszczaruk, Cyprian Seul and Jarosław Strzałkowski

Materials 2022, 15(24), 8832; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15248832 - 10 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1651

Abstract

The increasing volume of waste and the requirements of sustainable development are the reasons for the research on new waste management concepts. The research results presented in this paper show the effect of recycled aggregate on the selected properties of cement concrete. The aggregates obtained from three types of wastes are tested: recycled concrete paving, crushed ceramic bricks, and burnt sewage sludges. The recycled aggregates replaced 25% and 50% of the volume of the fine aggregate. The tested aggregates worsen the concrete mixes’ consistency and decrease, to some extent, the compressive strength of the concrete. However, the tensile splitting strength of the concrete with recycled aggregates is similar to that of the reference concrete. Using recycled aggregates worsens the tightness of the concrete, which manifests itself by increasing water penetration depth. The thermal properties of concrete are slightly affected by the type and content of the recycled aggregate. Considering the expected improvement in recycled aggregate processing, they can be an alternative to natural aggregates. Using recycled aggregates in cement concrete requires extensive studies to search for ways to increase their possible content without worsening concrete performance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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15 pages, 7537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recycled Fine Aggregates from Mortar Debris and Red Clay Brick to Fabricate Masonry Mortars: Mechanical Analysis

by René Sebastián Mora-Ortiz, Sergio Alberto Díaz, Ebelia Del Angel-Meraz and Francisco Magaña-Hernández

Materials 2022, 15(21), 7707; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15217707 - 2 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2295

Abstract

In this research, the mechanical behavior of masonry mortars made with partial substitution of sand by recycled fine aggregates (RFAs) of mortar (MT) and recycled clay brick (RCB) was compared. Mortar specimens were built in two groups (MT and RCB) considering different replacement proportions by dry weight. To reduce the water absorption of RFAs during mortar making, the prewetting method was utilized. All the mixtures were assembled with a volumetric cement-to-aggregate ratio of 1:4 and a consistency of 175 ± 5 mm. The properties in the fresh and hardening state of mortars were analyzed separately. The experimental results showed that the properties of mortars in a fresh state (bulk density and air content) were affected if RFA was added to the mixture; however, mortars assembled with up to 40% and 50% of MT and RCB, respectively, accomplished a compressive strength value of reference for new mixtures. Both mortar groups showed good results in adhesive strength values, with the RCB mortars standing up as they achieved greater adherence than the control mortar with substitution percentages of up to 30%. Therefore, the reutilization of both RFAs is feasible, notably in rendering and bonding functions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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21 pages, 6495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating the Strength and Impact of Raw Ingredients of Cement Mortar Incorporating Waste Glass Powder Using Machine Learning and SHapley Additive ExPlanations (SHAP) Methods

by Hassan Ali Alkadhim, Muhammad Nasir Amin, Waqas Ahmad, Kaffayatullah Khan, Sohaib Nazar, Muhammad Iftikhar Faraz and Muhammad Imran

Materials 2022, 15(20), 7344; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15207344 - 20 Oct 2022

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 2455

Abstract

This research employed machine learning (ML) and SHapley Additive ExPlanations (SHAP) methods to assess the strength and impact of raw ingredients of cement mortar (CM) incorporated with waste glass powder (WGP). The data required for this study were generated using an experimental approach. Two ML methods were employed, i.e., gradient boosting and random forest, for compressive strength (CS) and flexural strength (FS) estimation. The performance of ML approaches was evaluated by comparing the coefficient of determination (R²), statistical checks, k-fold assessment, and analyzing the variation between experimental and estimated strength. The results of the ML-based modeling approaches revealed that the gradient boosting model had a good degree of precision, but the random forest model predicted the strength of the WGP-based CM with a greater degree of precision for CS and FS prediction. The SHAP analysis revealed that fine aggregate was a critical raw material, with a stronger negative link to the strength of the material, whereas WGP and cement had a greater positive effect on the strength of CM. Utilizing such approaches will benefit the building sector by supporting the progress of rapid and inexpensive approaches for identifying material attributes and the impact of raw ingredients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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23 pages, 4495 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluation of Shear Capacity of Steel Fiber Reinforced Concrete Beams without Stirrups Using Artificial Intelligence Models

by Yong Yu, Xin-Yu Zhao, Jin-Jun Xu, Shao-Chun Wang and Tian-Yu Xie

Materials 2022, 15(7), 2407; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15072407 - 24 Mar 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2716

Abstract

The shear transfer mechanism of steel fiber reinforced concrete (SFRC) beams without stirrups is still not well understood. This is demonstrated herein by examining the accuracy of typical empirical formulas for 488 SFRC beam test records compiled from the literature. To steer clear of these cognitive limitations, this study turned to artificial intelligence (AI) models. A gray relational analysis (GRA) was first conducted to evaluate the importance of different parameters for the problem at hand. The outcomes indicate that the shear capacity depends heavily on the material properties of concrete, the amount of longitudinal reinforcement, the attributes of steel fibers, and the geometrical and loading characteristics of SFRC beams. After this, AI models, including back-propagation artificial neural network, random forest and multi-gene genetic programming, were developed to capture the shear strength of SFRC beams without stirrups. The findings unequivocally show that the AI models predict the shear strength more accurately than do the empirical formulas. A parametric analysis was performed using the established AI model to investigate the effects of the main influential factors (determined by GRA) on the shear capacity. Overall, this paper provides an accurate, instantaneous and meaningful approach for evaluating the shear capacity of SFRC beams containing no stirrups. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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13 pages, 39205 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Recycling of Waste Facial Masks as a Construction Material, a Step towards Sustainability

by Maria Idrees, Arslan Akbar, Abdeliazim Mustafa Mohamed, Dina Fathi and Farhan Saeed

Materials 2022, 15(5), 1810; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma15051810 - 28 Feb 2022

Cited by 52 | Viewed by 9545

Abstract

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, a sudden surge in the production and utilization of disposable, single-use facial masks has been observed. Delinquency in proper disposal of used facial masks endangers the environment with a new form of non-biodegradable plastic waste that will take hundreds of years to break down. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the resourceful recycling of such waste in an environmentally friendly way. This study presents an efficient solution by using waste masks in fibered or crushed form to produce environmentally friendly and affordable green concrete. This investigation assessed the mechanical and durability properties of waste masks-incorporated concrete. A total of six mixes were prepared for standardized tests to determine compressive strength, split cylinder tensile strength and rapid chloride penetration test (RCPT), and freeze-thaw resistance. The percentage of mask fibers used were 0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2% of concrete by volume, while crushed masks were used at 0.5% only. The mask waste in both forms was found suitable to be used in concrete. One percent of waste mask fibers was found as an optimum value to increase compressive and tensile strength, reduce chloride permeability, and increase freeze-thaw resistance. Besides this, 0.5% crushed mask fiber also performed well, especially for producing less permeable and highly durable concrete. It is thus corroborated that waste masks that increase pollution worldwide can be utilized sustainably to help build green buildings. By reutilizing waste masks to produce improved concrete with better strengths and higher durability, circular economy and sustainability are achieved, along with efficient waste management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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22 pages, 9186 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Seismic Behavior of Stone Masonry Joints with ECC as a Filling Material

by Wei Hou, Xinghua Dai, Zheyu Yang, Hanhuang Huang, Xiaoli Wang, Pandeng Zheng, Yixin Zhang and Zixiong Guo

Materials 2021, 14(21), 6671; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14216671 - 5 Nov 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2581

Abstract

This paper investigates the seismic behavior of novel stone masonry joints using ductile engineered cementitious composite (ECC) as a substitute for ordinary mortar. Ten stone masonry joints with different types of mortar/ECC were tested under axial and cyclic loads. The filling materials of mortar joints tested included ordinary mortar, polymer mortar, ECC, and composite mortar with two combination proportions of ECC and ordinary mortar. The test results indicated that ECC specimens exhibited a more stable hysteretic response as well as an improvement in strength, deformation, energy dissipation, and strength degradation. The ECC mortar joints maintained integrity during the entire loading process due to the “self-confinement” effect of ECC. A partial substitution of mortar with ECC could provide effective reinforcement and confinement to prevent mortar failure and peeling, thereby allowing such specimens to approach the seismic performance of ECC specimens. Based on the trend of shear strength variations, a corresponding failure process is defined for ECC/mortar joints under cyclic and axial compressive loads, including four distinct stages: linear elastic, crack-developing stage, interface debonding, and friction sliding. New equations are proposed for predicting the shear strength and residual shear strength of the ECC/mortar joints on the basis of the test results, which are validated in the composite mortar specimens. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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19 pages, 7019 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Alkali-Activated Mortars with Recycled Fines and Hemp as a Sand

by Edyta Pawluczuk, Katarzyna Kalinowska-Wichrowska and Mahfooz Soomro

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4580; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164580 - 15 Aug 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 2206

Abstract

Nowadays, effective and eco-friendly ways of using waste materials that could replace natural resources (for example, sand) in the production of concrete composites are highly sought. The article presents the results of research on geopolymer composites produced from two types of waste materials—hemp and fine fractions recovered from recycled cement concrete, which were both used as a replacement for standard sand. A total of two research experiments were conducted. In the first experiment, geopolymer mortars were made using the standard sand, which was substituted with recycled fines, from 0% to 30% by weight. In the second study, geopolymers containing organic filler were designed, where the variables were (i) the amount of hemp and the percent of sand by volume (0%, 2.5%, and 5%) and(ii) the amount of hydrated lime and the percent of fly ash (by weight) (0%, 2%, and 4%) that were prepared. In both cases, the basic properties of the prepared composites were determined, including their flexural strength, compressive strength, volume density in a dry and saturated state, and water absorption by weight. Observations of the microstructure of the geopolymers using an electron and optical microscope were also conducted. The test results show that both materials (hemp and recycled fines) and the appropriate selection of the proportions of mortar components and can produce composites with better physical and mechanical properties compared to mortars made of only natural sand. The detailed results show that recycled fines (RF) can be a valuable substitute for natural sand. The presence of 30% recycled fines (by weight) as a replacement for natural sand in the alkali-activated mortar increased its compressive strength by 26% and its flexural strength by 9% compared to control composites (compared to composites made entirely of sand without its alternatives). The good dispersion of both materials in the geopolymer matrix probably contributed to filling of the pores and reducing the water absorption of the composites. The use of hemp as a sand substitute generally caused a decrease in the strength properties of geopolymer mortar, but satisfactory results were achieved with the substitution of 2.5% hemp (by volume) as a replacement for standard sand (40 MPa for compressive strength, and 6.3MPa for flexural strength). Both of these waste materials could be used as a substitute for natural sand and are examples of an eco-friendly and sustainable substitution to save natural, non-renewable resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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18 pages, 3404 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Waste Glass Powder Reusability in High-Performance Concrete: Leaching Behavior and Ecotoxicity

by Diana Mariaková, Klára Anna Mocová, Kristina Fořtová, Tereza Pavlů and Petr Hájek

Materials 2021, 14(16), 4476; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma14164476 - 10 Aug 2021

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 2851

Abstract

This paper deals with the possibility of using different types of waste glass powder in high-performance concrete (HPC) mixtures as a fine fraction replacement. Subsequently, both fractions are used in this research in concrete as a substitute for fine sand and silica flour. To use waste glass in a basic building material such as concrete, it is necessary to verify the basic chemical properties of the selected waste materials. Apart from the basic chemical properties, its environmental impact also appears to be an essential property of waste materials in general. Therefore, the research is mainly focused on the leaching and ecotoxicity experiments on high-performance concrete. HPC mixtures are designed based on the results of the analyzed chemical properties and previous research performed by our research team. Ecotoxicity of these concretes is then verified using Czech standards to evaluate. The results showed a positive impact on the ecotoxic properties of waste glass when used in concrete. A new ecotoxicity classification of waste materials and concrete mixes containing waste materials is proposed as a result of this research and summarized in the conclusion of this paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Applications of Eco-Concrete and Mortars)

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