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Sustainable Construction Materials
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Sustainable Construction Materials

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2019) | Viewed by 41960

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Md. Safiuddin

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Angelo DelZotto School of Construction Management, George Brown College (Casa Loma Campus), 160 Kendal Ave., Room C303, Toronto, ON M5R 1M3, Canada
2. Department of Civil Engineering, Ryerson University, 350 Victoria Street, Toronto, ON M5B 2K3, Canada
3. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
Interests: sustainable construction materials and technology; green buildings; sustainable infrastructure; utilization of agro, construction, and industrial wastes to produce new construction materials; incorporation of recycled materials in new construction materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear colleagues,

Sustainability is a recent thrust in many areas of engineering and science. Sustainable built environment is crucial to make our planet greener and a better place for the future generation. In this context, sustainable construction materials would play a significant role for the sustainable development of built environment comprising buildings and civil infrastructure, such as roads, bridges, and tunnels. This special issue of Sustainability is on “Sustainable Construction Materials”. It belongs to the section “Sustainable Engineering and Science” of Sustainability. You are humbly requested to contribute high-quality research or review articles to this special issue, emphasizing sustainability of building or infrastructure materials, utilization of recycled and industrial or agro waste materials, use of renewable materials, durability and service life of materials, sustainability assessment methods for materials, energy savings associated with application of materials, costs versus benefits of materials, and environmental protection in relation with fabrication and use of materials. This special issue will also welcome papers on new or emerging sustainable construction materials. Papers will be selected for this special issue through a meticulous peer review procedure.

Dr. Md. Safiuddin
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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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

  • Sustainable building materials
  • Sustainable infrastructure materials
  • Recycled materials
  • Renewable materials
  • Industrial and agro wastes
  • Sustainability assessment
  • Durability and service life
  • Energy efficiency
  • Cost-effectiveness
  • Conservation of environment

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 3148 KiB  
Article
Usage of Recycled Technical Textiles as Thermal Insulation and an Acoustic Absorber
by Anna Danihelová, Miroslav Němec, Tomáš Gergeľ, Miloš Gejdoš, Janka Gordanová and Patrik Sčensný
Sustainability 2019, 11(10), 2968; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11102968 - 24 May 2019
Cited by 52 | Viewed by 5436
Abstract
The sound absorption coefficient is a commonly used parameter to characterize the acoustic properties of materials. The fire performance of construction products has to be evaluated on the basis of their reaction to fire performance. The evaluation of the reaction to fire performance [...] Read more.
The sound absorption coefficient is a commonly used parameter to characterize the acoustic properties of materials. The fire performance of construction products has to be evaluated on the basis of their reaction to fire performance. The evaluation of the reaction to fire performance for the flammable construction materials which are in Class E reaction to fire is based on the ignitability test and the thermal test using the radiant heat source. For this study, nine types of STERED® products, which were made from the recycled automotive technical textiles, were chosen in order to evaluate their ability for sound absorption and the reaction to fire. The fire performance was evaluated on the basis of the relative mass loss in the radiant heat source test; the ignitability in accordance with ISO 11925-2, the possible appearance of flame, duration of flame, and the glowing during the single flame source test. The sound absorption of nine products was rated on the basis of the sound absorption coefficient and the noise reduction coefficient. The measurement was performed using the transfer function method in accordance with ISO 10534-2. From the nine tested types of STERED® products, the product Senizol AT XX2 TL 60 had the lowest mass loss at thermal loads up to 700 °C and it fulfilled the conditions for Class E reaction to fire. This product had the highest noise reduction coefficient of 0.81 and a high absorption coefficient for frequencies ranging between 500 Hz and 2000 Hz. The STERED® product Senizol AT XX2 TL 60, as well as Senizol AT 22 TL 50, Senizol AT 40 TL 25, Senizol AT XX4 TL 50 and Senizol AT XX4 TL 10 with a sound absorption coefficient α of between 0.80 to 0.95 and corresponding NRCs from 0.66 to 0.81, these STERED® products can be classified according to ISO 11654 into the sound absorption classes A and B. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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29 pages, 9023 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Physical and Chemical Properties of South African Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) for Concrete Use
by Patrick Iloh, George Fanourakis and Aurobindo Ogra
Sustainability 2019, 11(1), 193; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11010193 - 2 Jan 2019
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 6711
Abstract
The foundry industry in South Africa forms one of the greatest industries in the manufacturing sector. It produces waste foundry sand (WFS) that ends up in landfill sites. Around 80% of the WFS could be utilized as a substitute for sand in concrete. [...] Read more.
The foundry industry in South Africa forms one of the greatest industries in the manufacturing sector. It produces waste foundry sand (WFS) that ends up in landfill sites. Around 80% of the WFS could be utilized as a substitute for sand in concrete. The utilization of WFS will benefit the industry, as raw materials (natural sand alternative) and energy are conserved, while costs of disposal are lowered. Soil pollution, as well as water and air resources, will be minimized and the foundries’ competitiveness will be improved. In this study, the physical and chemical properties of five WFSs (two clays and three chemically bonded molding sands) from Gauteng, South Africa were analyzed. The samples were investigated with a view to determine their conformity with applicable engineering criteria when used as a replacement, to various extents, of the fine aggregate. The main properties investigated included physical properties (particle gradation, moisture content, un-compacted bulk density, specific gravity, loss on ignition, clay content, and fineness modulus) and the chemical properties (X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), pH). The sands generally did not meet the standards pertaining to grading requirements. However, the chemical test results showed the composition of these sands to be comparable with results from other investigations and suitable for use as a natural sand replacement in concrete. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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16 pages, 5651 KiB  
Article
Effects of Quartz Powder on the Microstructure and Key Properties of Cement Paste
by Run-Sheng Lin, Xiao-Yong Wang and Gui-Yu Zhang
Sustainability 2018, 10(10), 3369; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10103369 - 20 Sep 2018
Cited by 40 | Viewed by 5982
Abstract
This paper compares the effects of the water-to-binder (w/b) ratio and quartz contents on the properties of cement–quartz paste. The w/b ratios of the paste mixtures specimens are 0.5 and 0.2, and the quartz powder contents are 0, 10, and 20%. At the [...] Read more.
This paper compares the effects of the water-to-binder (w/b) ratio and quartz contents on the properties of cement–quartz paste. The w/b ratios of the paste mixtures specimens are 0.5 and 0.2, and the quartz powder contents are 0, 10, and 20%. At the age of 1, 3, 7, and 28 days, compressive strength test, X-ray fluorescence (XRF) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), isothermal calorimetry, and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis were performed. The experimental results show that the quartz powder mainly has the dilution effect and crystal nucleation effect on cement hydration, and the addition of quartz powder does not change the type of hydration product. The effect of quartz powder on cement hydration is closely related to the w/b ratio. In the case of a low w/b ratio of 0.2, the addition of quartz powder did not impair the compressive strength of paste. For different w/b ratios (0.5 and 0.2) and various quartz powder contents (0, 10, and 20%) at different ages (1, 3, 7, and 28 days), there is a uniform linear relationship between strength and porosity. Similarly, there is a uniform linear relationship between chemically bound water and calcium hydroxide, between heat of hydration and compressive strength, and between chemically bound water and compressive strength. At the same time, the effect of the partial replacement of cement by quartz powder on sustainability is considered in this paper. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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17 pages, 4645 KiB  
Article
Comparative Study on the Environmental Impact of Traditional Clay Bricks Mixed with Organic Waste Using Life Cycle Analysis
by José Adolfo Lozano-Miralles, Manuel Jesús Hermoso-Orzáez, Carmen Martínez-García and José Ignacio Rojas-Sola
Sustainability 2018, 10(8), 2917; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10082917 - 18 Aug 2018
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 10376
Abstract
The construction industry is responsible for 40–45% of primary energy consumption in Europe. Therefore, it is essential to find new materials with a lower environmental impact to achieve sustainable buildings. The objective of this study was to carry out the life cycle analysis [...] Read more.
The construction industry is responsible for 40–45% of primary energy consumption in Europe. Therefore, it is essential to find new materials with a lower environmental impact to achieve sustainable buildings. The objective of this study was to carry out the life cycle analysis (LCA) to evaluate the environmental impacts of baked clay bricks incorporating organic waste. The scope of this comparative study of LCA covers cradle to gate and involves the extraction of clay and organic waste from the brick, transport, crushing, modelling, drying and cooking. Local sustainability within a circular economy strategy is used as a laboratory test. The energy used during the cooking process of the bricks modified with organic waste, the gas emission concentrate and the emission factors are quantified experimentally in the laboratory. Potential environmental impacts are analysed and compared using the ReCiPe midpoint LCA method using SimaPro 8.0.5.13. These results achieved from this method are compared with those obtained with a second method—Impact 2002+ v2.12. The results of LCA show that the incorporation of organic waste in bricks is favourable from an environmental point of view and is a promising alternative approach in terms of environmental impacts, as it leads to a decrease of 15–20% in all the impact categories studied. Therefore, the suitability of the use of organic additives in clay bricks was confirmed, as this addition was shown to improve their efficiency and sustainability, thus reducing the environmental impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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19 pages, 6022 KiB  
Article
Static and Dynamic Thermal Characterization of Timber Frame/Wheat (Triticum Aestivum) Chaff Thermal Insulation Panel for Sustainable Building Construction
by Miloš Pavelek, Marek Prajer and Kamil Trgala
Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2363; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072363 - 7 Jul 2018
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5832
Abstract
Common wheat is currently the most widely grown cereal and its grains are mainly used to produce white bread. Contrary to plant seeds, the plant itself may be considered an agricultural waste which is used as an animal feed, soil fertilizer, or pelletized [...] Read more.
Common wheat is currently the most widely grown cereal and its grains are mainly used to produce white bread. Contrary to plant seeds, the plant itself may be considered an agricultural waste which is used as an animal feed, soil fertilizer, or pelletized solid fuel to produce heat energy. While wheat straw is used widely in sustainable building construction, mostly as straw bales, the use of the thin dry husk around the grain, the wheat chaff, remained unexplored. An insulation panel made of a medium-density fiberboard (MDF) envelope and wooden studs was manufactured. The 150-mm gap between the MDFs was filled with dry wheat chaff. The thermal transmittance of the panel was determined under static and dynamic thermal conditions using a modified guarded hot box method. The results were compared to an insulation panel of the same construction that was filled with mineral wool. The thermal transmittance of wheat chaff under steady-state and dynamic conditions was 0.307 W m−2 K−1 and 0.298 W m−2 K−1, respectively. While in steady-state conditions the mineral wool outperforms the wheat chaff insulation, after a period of dynamic thermal loading, the ability of both insulations to resist heat-energy dissipation becomes similar. In conclusion, wheat chaff agrowaste seems to be a promising environmentally friendly alternative to artificial thermal insulation. Moreover, the determination of the thermal transmittance of bio-based materials with relatively high specific heat capacities under dynamic thermal loading, provides more accurate results, compared to steady-state conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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16 pages, 1689 KiB  
Article
Durability Indicators for Sustainable Self-Consolidating High-Strength Concrete Incorporating Palm Oil Fuel Ash
by Md. Abdus Salam, Md. Safiuddin and Mohd. Zamin Jumaat
Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2345; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072345 - 6 Jul 2018
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 3250
Abstract
This paper presents the durability indicators for sustainable self-consolidating high-strength concrete (SCHSC) including palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as a supplementary cementing material (SCM). SCHSC mixes were prepared by varying the water to binder (W/B) ratio and POFA content. The W/B ratio was [...] Read more.
This paper presents the durability indicators for sustainable self-consolidating high-strength concrete (SCHSC) including palm oil fuel ash (POFA) as a supplementary cementing material (SCM). SCHSC mixes were prepared by varying the water to binder (W/B) ratio and POFA content. The W/B ratio was varied in the range of 0.25 to 0.40, and the POFA content differed in the range of 10–30% to produce the desired SCHSC mixes. The tests conducted on the freshly mixed SCHSCs to evaluate their filling ability, passing ability, and segregation resistance were slump flow, J-ring flow, and sieve segregation, respectively. To evaluate the durability of the hardened SCHSCs, the compressive strength, water absorption, and permeable porosity were examined along with the ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV). The correlations between different hardened properties were derived to ascertain the durability indicators for sustainable SCHSCs. It was observed that most of the SCHSCs possessed excellent filling ability and passing ability with adequate segregation resistance. The test results also revealed that the compressive strength and UPV increased, whereas the water absorption and permeable porosity decreased with a lower W/B ratio and a higher amount of POFA (up to 20% weight content). Moreover, strong correlations were found between the different hardened properties of SCHSC. These correlations were used to determine the durability indicators for sustainable SCHSC with respect to compressive strength, permeable porosity, and water absorption. In accordance with the derived durability indicators, the sustainable SCHSC mixes produced in this study had the durability levels varying from “high” to “outstanding”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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17 pages, 3617 KiB  
Article
Assessing High- and Low-Temperature Properties of Asphalt Pavements Incorporating Waste Oil Shale as an Alternative Material in Jilin Province, China
by Yongchun Cheng, Wensheng Wang, Guojin Tan and Chenglin Shi
Sustainability 2018, 10(7), 2179; https://doi.org/10.3390/su10072179 - 26 Jun 2018
Cited by 22 | Viewed by 3724
Abstract
This study investigates the feasibility of recycling waste oil shale as an alternative material into asphalt pavements in Jilin province, China. The high- and low-temperature properties of asphalt materials play important roles for asphalt pavements in seasonal frozen regions. Laboratory experiments were conducted [...] Read more.
This study investigates the feasibility of recycling waste oil shale as an alternative material into asphalt pavements in Jilin province, China. The high- and low-temperature properties of asphalt materials play important roles for asphalt pavements in seasonal frozen regions. Laboratory experiments were conducted to analyze the high- and low-temperature properties of asphalt mastics and mixtures. Results indicated that adding oil shale ash (OSA) may lead asphalt to a softer consistency and less temperature susceptibility. Also, OSA could improve high-temperature stability and enhance rutting resistance of asphalt materials, whereas the effect of OSA on low-temperature properties is insignificant by comparison. Moreover, the high- and low-temperature performances of asphalt mixtures were evaluated based on testing roads through rutting depth index, riding quality index, and indirect tensile strength test. It can be proved that the sustainable asphalt materials have better high-temperature stability and rutting resistance and also fulfill the requirements of low-temperature cracking resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Construction Materials)
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