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Advanced Concrete- and Cement-Based Composite Materials
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Advanced Concrete- and Cement-Based Composite Materials

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Materials".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2025 | Viewed by 1213

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Xiao Huang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Resources, Environment and Materials, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China
Interests: advanced concrete- and cement-based composite materials; industrial solid waste resource utilization; high-performance environmental restoration materials; green and low-carbon building materials
Dr. Caixia Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070, China
Interests: carbon nutrition technology; low-carbon building materials; composite materials of building envelopes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Concrete- and cement-based composites have long been central to construction and infrastructure development. In recent years, the demand for these materials has evolved, driven by the urgent need for sustainable, durable, and high-performance solutions in construction. The challenge now lies in advancing the sustainability of concrete materials while maintaining or enhancing their performance. This Special Issue focuses specifically on the sustainable development and application of advanced concrete- and cement-based composites. Submissions are encouraged that explore materials such as high-performance concrete, fiber-reinforced concrete, self-healing concrete, and smart concrete, provided that these studies are anchored in sustainability. Research should demonstrate a clear commitment to reducing environmental impact, such as by incorporating recycled materials, designing for lower carbon footprints, or optimizing energy efficiency in production and application. This Special Issue also welcomes studies on eco-friendly cementitious materials, advanced mix designs aimed at sustainability, and innovations that contribute to the lifecycle sustainability of concrete structures. The objective is to provide a platform for research that not only advances materials science but also aligns closely with the principles of sustainable development, offering practical solutions for reducing the environmental impact of construction. The areas to be covered in this Special Issue may include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. High-performance concrete with sustainability-focused innovations;
  2. Sustainable construction materials;
  3. Fiber-reinforced concrete with reduced environmental impact;
  4. Self-healing concrete using eco-friendly materials;
  5. Smart concrete with energy-efficient applications;
  6. Durability studies emphasizing lifecycle sustainability;
  7. Recycled materials in concrete for sustainable development;
  8. Microstructural analysis with a focus on sustainability;
  9. Eco-friendly cementitious materials;
  10. Advanced mix designs aimed at lowering carbon footprints;
  11. Lifecycle sustainability of concrete;
  12. Environmental impact assessments of construction materials;
  13. Innovations in additives and binders with a sustainability perspective;
  14. Energy conservation in the built environment;
  15. Energy-efficient buildings;
  16. Energy sustainability, resilience, and climate adaptability of buildings;
  17. New materials in buildings and their impact on energy demands;
  18. Building envelope materials and structure energy performance;
  19. Energy storage technologies and their applications to the built environment;
  20. Low-carbon building materials.

Dr. Xiao Huang
Dr. Caixia Wang
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. Sustainability 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

  • high-performance concrete
  • sustainable construction materials
  • fiber-reinforced concrete
  • self-healing concrete
  • smart concrete
  • durability of cement composites
  • recycled materials in concrete
  • microstructural analysis
  • eco-friendly cementitious materials
  • advanced mix design
  • energy conservation
  • low-carbon materials
  • composite materials
  • building envelopes
  • smart building materials

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 8770 KiB  
Article
Mechanism of Crack Development and Strength Deterioration in Controlled Low-Strength Material in Dry Environment
by Wei Peng and Zili Dai
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 965; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030965 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 528
Abstract
The continuous expansion at the urban scale has produced a lot of construction waste, which has created increasingly serious problems in the environmental, social, and economic realms. Reuse of this waste can address these problems and is critical for sustainable development. In recent [...] Read more.
The continuous expansion at the urban scale has produced a lot of construction waste, which has created increasingly serious problems in the environmental, social, and economic realms. Reuse of this waste can address these problems and is critical for sustainable development. In recent years, construction waste has been extensively recycled and transformed into highly sustainable construction materials called controlled low-strength materials (CLSMs) in backfilling projects, pile foundation treatment, roadbed cushion layers, and other applications. However, CLSMs often experience shrinkage and cracking due to water loss influenced by climatic temperature factors, which can pose safety and stability risks in various infrastructures. The purpose of this paper was to study the mechanism of crack formation and strength degradation in a CLSM in a dry environment and to analyze the deterioration process of the CLSM at the macro- and micro-scales by using image analysis techniques and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The test results show that with the drying time, the CLSM samples had different degrees of cracks and unconfined compressive strength (UCS) decreases, and increasing the content of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) reduced the number of cracks. The addition of bentonite with the same OPC content also slowed down the crack development and reduced the loss of UCS. The development of macroscopic cracks and UCS is caused by the microscopic scale, and the weak areas are formed due to water loss in dry environments and the decomposition of gel products, and the integrity of the microstructure is weakened, which is manifested as strength deterioration. This research provides a novel methodology for the reuse of construction waste, thereby offering a novel trajectory for the sustainable progression of construction projects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Concrete- and Cement-Based Composite Materials)
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17 pages, 14064 KiB  
Article
Case Study of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete with Urban Sludge Gasification Slag
by Juntao Ma, Yanbo Huang, Zhiyong Li, Manman Yang, Yunfei Tan and Shunbo Zhao
Sustainability 2025, 17(3), 938; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17030938 - 24 Jan 2025
Viewed by 420
Abstract
This article, for the first time, investigates the potential of Sludge Gasification Slag (SGS), a byproduct of urban sewage sludge gasification, as a lightweight aggregate in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), proposing a novel sustainable solution for the utilization of SGS. The UHPC mix design [...] Read more.
This article, for the first time, investigates the potential of Sludge Gasification Slag (SGS), a byproduct of urban sewage sludge gasification, as a lightweight aggregate in ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), proposing a novel sustainable solution for the utilization of SGS. The UHPC mix design followed the modified Andreasen and Andersen model, incorporating pretreated SGS, cement, silica fume (SF), river sand, and a high-efficiency water-reducing agent. A total of eight experimental groups were developed, including five pre-wetted groups (I1–I5) and three dry groups (N1–N3), to evaluate the rheological and mechanical properties of UHPC. For the first time, this study combines scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption techniques to investigate the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) and porosity of SGS-UHPC, providing insights into the influence of SGS on the matrix. The results show that SGS, due to its irregular particle shape and high water absorption capacity, negatively impacts the flowability of the fresh mix. However, when the SGS content reached 7.5%, the plastic viscosity of the UHPC mix peaked. Notably, after 28 days of curing, the compressive strength of the 5% pre-wetted SGS group exceeded that of the control group by 5%, indicating a time-dependent strength improvement. This enhancement is primarily attributed to the water release effect of SGS, which optimizes the ITZ and strengthens the overall matrix. The findings suggest that SGS, when used at dosages below 7.5%, can be effectively incorporated into UHPC, offering a promising, environmentally friendly alternative for sustainable construction applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Concrete- and Cement-Based Composite Materials)
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