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Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability

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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 March 2023) | Viewed by 22539

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah

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Guest Editor

Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology (CEGeoGTech), Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Arau 02600, Perlis, Malaysia
Interests: geopolymer; environmentally sustainable binders and composites; construction materials, ceramic; characterization; microstructure of green materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Rafiza Binti Abd Razak

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Guest Editor

Center of Excellence Geopolymer and Green Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Kangar, Malaysia
Interests: geopolymer; environmentally sustainable binders and composites; structural engineering; construction materials; microstructure properties

Prof. Dr. João Castro-Gomes

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Beira Interior, 6201‐001 Covilhã, Portugal
Interests: environmentally sustainable binders and composites; technologies for sustainable construction; microstructure of materials; materials durability testing and performance; building materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue aims to publish original research solutions for tackling the Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for sustainability associating the new advances and research results in the fields of Advanced Material Engineering and Technology. This special issue will cover the areas of environmental and materials engineering, including green materials for buildings and structures; sustainable development and planning; sustainable energy; geology, geotechnical, and ground engineering; transportation and water. This Special Issue will bring a better understanding of how the emergent research in environmental and materials engineering can answer to the multiple and complex questions regarding the major global threats for planet Earth, such as climate change, pollution, and overpopulation that aims for green environment. Thus, all colleagues, researcher, expert are invited to contribute submissions focused on, but not limited to, the following necessary and emergent research topics in civil engineering and related areas:

Materials for Energy and Environmental Applications
Energy and Environmental Technology
Advanced Characterization
Green Technology of Geopolymer Materials
Sustainable and environmental development

Prof. Dr. Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah
Dr. Rafiza Binti Abd Razak
Prof. Dr. João Castro Gomes
Guest Editors

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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 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

environmentally sustainable binders and composites
technologies for sustainable construction
microstructure of materials
advanced characterization
materials durability testing and performance
environmental and civil engineering
materials engineering

Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 5865 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Debris Flow Impact Based on Experimental Analysis along a Deposition Area

by Muhammad Khairi A.Wahab, Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol, Jazaul Ikhsan, Mohd Hafiz Zawawi, Mohamad Aizat Abas, Norazian Mohamed Noor, Norizham Abdul Razak and Moh Sholichin

Sustainability 2023, 15(17), 13132; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151713132 - 31 Aug 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 846

Abstract

Debris flow is a devastating phenomenon that happens in hilly and mountainous regions and has a serious impact on affected areas. It causes casualties and serious damage to the environment and society. Therefore, a susceptible assessment is necessary to prevent, mitigate, and raise awareness of the impact of debris flows. This paper focuses on evaluating the deposition area along the deposition board. The methodology involved an experiment on a physical model by demonstrating the debris flow based on the steepness of the flume slope at 15°, 20°, and 25° angles. The limestone particles with a total volume of 2.5 × 10⁶ mm³ acted as debris and were released with water from the tank to the deposition board with an area of 10 × 10⁵ mm². The volume, area, and length of particle distribution carried from the flume to the deposition board were then determined. Based on the experimental results, the deposition board is covered with particles of about 696.19 × 10³ mm³, 748.29 × 10³ mm³, and 505.19 × 10³ mm³ volume for each 15°, 20°, and 25° angle, respectively. In actual situations, debris flow is capable of causing significant risk to the affected area. This study can be deemed useful for a risk assessment approach, to help develop guidelines, and to mitigate the regions where debris flows are most probable to occur. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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14 pages, 2526 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating the Relationship between the Manning Coefficients (n) of a Perforated Subsurface Stormwater Drainage Pipe and the Hydraulic Parameters

by Junaidah Abdullah, Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol, Ali Riahi, Nor Azazi Zakaria, Mohd Fazly Yusof, Syafiq Shaharuddin, Muhammad Nurfasya Alias, Muhammad Zaki Mohd Kasim, Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz, Norazian Mohamed Noor, Mohd Hafiz Zawawi and Jazaul Ikhsan

Sustainability 2023, 15(8), 6929; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15086929 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1789

Abstract

Subsurface perforated pipes drain infiltrated stormwater runoff while attenuating the peak flow. The Manning roughness coefficient (n) was identified as a fundamental parameter for estimating roughness in various subsurface channels. Hence, in this work, the performance of a six-row non-staggered sand-slot perforated pipe as a sample of the subsurface drainage is investigated experimentally in a laboratory flume at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) aimed at determining the Manning roughness coefficients (n) of the pipe and assessing the relationship between the Manning’s n and the hydraulic parameters of the simulated runoff flow under the conditions of the tailgate channel being opened fully (GFO) and partially (GPO), as well as the pipe having longitudinal slopes of 1:750 and 1:1000. Water is pumped into the flume at a maximum discharge rate of 35 L/s, and the velocity and depth of the flow are measured at nine points along the inner parts of the pipe. Based on the calculated Reynolds numbers ranging from 38,252 to 64,801 for both GFO and GPO conditions, it is determined that most of the flow in the perforated pipe is turbulent, and the calculated flow discharges and velocities from the outlets under GFO are higher than the flow and velocity rates under GPO with similar pipe slopes of 1:750 and 1:1000. The Manning coefficients are calculated at nine points along the pipe and range from 0.004 to 0.009. Based on the ranges of the calculated Manning’s n, an inverse linear relationships between the Manning coefficients and the flow velocity under GFO and GPO conditions are observed with the R² of 0.975 and 0.966, as well as 0.819 and 0.992 resulting from predicting the values of flow velocities with the equations v = ((0.01440 − n)/0.009175), v = ((0.01330 − n)/0.00890), v = ((0.02007 − n)/0.01814), and v = ((0.01702 − n)/0.01456) with pipe slopes of 1:750 and 1:1000, respectively. It is concluded that since the roughness coefficient (Manning’s n) of the pipe increases, it is able to reduce the flow velocity in the pipe, resulting in a lower peak of flow and the ability to control the quantity of storm water in the subsurface urban drainages. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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14 pages, 4624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design, Modelling and Optimization of a Novel Concentrated Solar Powered (CSP) Flash Desalination System Involving Direct Heating and Pressure Modulation Using Response Surface Methodology (RSM)

by Faizan Ahmed, Mohd Sharizal Abdul Aziz, Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol, Khor Chu Yee, Feroz Shaik, Dewi Suriyani Che Halin, Mohd Arif Anuar Mohd Salleh and Marwan Kheimi

Sustainability 2022, 14(18), 11558; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141811558 - 15 Sep 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1619

Abstract

The main problem with existing desalination technologies is that they consume high input energy to generate fresh water. Secondly, this energy demand is usually met by conventional sources of energy such as fossil fuels. With limited conventional energy reserves predicted for the future, the focus is on the utilization of renewable sources of energy such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy for powering desalination systems. Such a transformation would make the desalination systems more energy efficient, sustainable, and economical. In this paper, a novel concentrated solar powered (CSP) flash desalination system with direct heating and pressure modulation is presented. A lab-scale prototype was designed, manufactured, and tested for feed water collected from the Arabian Sea and in climatic conditions of Al-Khobar city in Saudi Arabia. The effect of three process parameters, namely, feed water temperature (30–40 °C), feed water flow rate (0.003–0.006 kg/s), and vacuum pressure (0.1–0.3 bar) on distillate production, was investigated. System modelling and optimization were done using Design Expert software and Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The central composite design technique was employed for the optimization of process parameters. The adequacy of the developed distillate production model was verified by ANOVA. The optimum values of feed water temperature, flow rate, and vacuum pressure are reported to be 40 °C, 0.005 kg/s, and 0.1 bar, respectively, resulting in distillate production of 0.001 kg/s. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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16 pages, 4178 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Key Success Factors for the Development of Innovative Antibiotic Replacement Products to Accelerate Growth in Broilers

by Kitti Supchukun, Teerapong Yata, Praima Israsena Na Ayudhya and Kris Angkanaporn

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10459; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710459 - 23 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1460

Abstract

The issue of drug-resistant bacteria and the ban on antibiotic growth has encouraged research into new additives for the broiler chicken industry, from the point of view of environmental, social, governance sustainability, and material sciences management. This study aimed to examine the newest innovative antibiotic replacement products using a mixed method of planning and development schemes. Firstly, the qualitative method was conducted to evaluate the voices of 15 key users to examine product composition through an engineering technique and the quality function deployment (QFD) method. A prototype was proposed, containing a combination of nutraceuticals, including medium-chain fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, oregano essential oil, and sweet basil essential oil, delivered in drinking water and as a feed additive through nanostructure lipid carrier (NLC) technology. The quantitative research summarized the compositions in terms of improving the growth performance of poultry, based on 280 responses. By using confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), the key factors of a successful antibiotic replacement are that they should be standardized and must follow regulations, be perceived as easy to use, satisfy performance expectations, address industry concerns, be innovative, offer an appropriate product and physical characteristics to the farm, and be presented alongside sales opportunities and marketing. It is concluded that such a hybrid of product development and innovation will lead to novel and appropriate products in the marketplace. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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20 pages, 4234 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigation on the Urban Grey Water Treatment Using a Cost-Effective Solar Distillation Still

by Mohd Fazly Yusof, Mohd Remy Rozainy Mohd Arif Zainol, Ali Riahi, Nor Azazi Zakaria, Syafiq Shaharuddin, Siti Fairuz Juiani, Norazian Mohamed Noor, Mohd Hafiz Zawawi and Jazaul Ikhsan

Sustainability 2022, 14(15), 9452; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159452 - 2 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2082

Abstract

Treating urban grey water with physical, chemical, and biological treatment techniques and reusing it as a sustainable non-potable water source has received much attention recently, yet there is a lack of studies regarding it. In this work, a typical slum nearby an urban household area in Malaysia was selected as a source of contaminated grey water which is located on the opposite side of a building site (100°29′ E and 5°7′ N) located in an urban area in a city in the Perak state, namely Parit Buntar, where the total urban grey water was being accumulated. Poor sanitation of that slum was seen to pose various health risks to the public, and hence, the importance of treating its grey water was perceived. Thus, this study was conducted to evaluate the performance of a low-cost double slope passive solar still by treating the grey water from the aforementioned slum, as well as to analyze the quality, quantity, and cost per liter of the produced water. Grey water was collected and filled in the solar still basin at s depth of 1 cm. The cover and basin of the solar still were made from transparent polythene film and black-painted stainless steel trough, respectively, while the frame was made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and the solar still was named PSSG1 abbreviated. PSSG1 was exposed to Malaysia’s climate conditions for several days from 8.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m. at Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM), which was able to produce the maximum amount of water up to 4.11 L/m²·d with the cost per liter/m² of only USD 0.0082. Water quality parameters tested showed that water produced from PSSG1 met the standards of the restricted and unrestricted reusable non-potable grey water, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the Malaysian class I drinking water standards. It was also found that the PSSG1 with higher average daily basin water temperature produced water with higher quality for the reuse applications and yielded healthier water compared to the water produced by some reported previous grey water treatment techniques. Therefore, the cost-effective PSSG1 can be used as a daily practical alternative for treating low-strength grey water collected from various urban household areas in Malaysia in order to assist pollutants removal from the drained urban grey waters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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12 pages, 2109 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Polymerization Time towards Conductivity and Properties of Poly(methyl methacrylate)/Polyaniline (PMMA/PANi) Copolymer

by Helyati Abu Hassan Shaari, Muhammad Mahyiddin Ramli, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah, Mohd Nazim Mohtar, Norizah Abdul Rahman, Azizan Ahmad, Nurul Huda Osman and Febdian Rusydi

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8940; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148940 - 21 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2035

Abstract

The effects of various polymerization times on the properties and conductivity of poly(methyl methacrylate)/polyaniline (PMMA/PANi) copolymer has been investigated. Different polymerization times, such as 1 h, 2 h, and 3 h, have been employed during free radical copolymerization of PMMA/PANi copolymer. The properties of newly synthesized PMMA/PANi copolymer were discussed with the help of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies, UV-Vis spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. All copolymers showed electrical conductivity of a semi-conductor material, compared with PMMA itself. It was found that the reaction played a significant role, especially at optimum polymerization time, where PANi formation and conductivity was at its highest. Our present work demonstrates that copolymer film could be a promising material to fabricate polymer conducting film in many electronics applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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19 pages, 6419 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bond Behavior of Deformed Bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris) Embedded in Fly Ash Geopolymer Concrete

by Dinie Awalluddin, Mohd Azreen Mohd Ariffin, Yusof Ahmad, Nor Fazlin Zamri, Mohd Mustafa Al Bakri Abdullah, Rafiza Abd Razak, Han-Seung Lee and Jitendra Kumar Singh

Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4326; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074326 - 6 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1929

Abstract

As the fastest growing plant with high tensile strength, bamboo provides an excellent alternative material to replace steel reinforcement in a concrete structure. However, the bond of bamboo embedded in concrete is very poor due to its surface properties and swell–shrink behaviors, especially when embedded in ordinary Portland cement concrete (OPCC). Thus, this paper presents the experimental investigation on the bond performance of deformed and undeformed bamboo species of Bambusa vulgaris strips embedded in fly ash geopolymer concrete (FAGC). Undeformed bamboo strips with and without nodes were compared to deformed bamboo strips in a corrugated and Galvanized Iron (G.I) rolled wired form in the pull-out test to study the mechanical interlocking effect on the bond performance of bamboo strips embedded in concrete. The groove on the corrugated bamboo strip was made using a router machine, while the wired bamboo was produced by wrapping the G.I wire along the bamboo strip. The difference in groove and wire spacing of the deformed bamboo strip on the bond strength was also observed. The result showed that the geometry of the bamboo strip had a significant effect on the bond performance, with the deformed bamboo strip outperforming the undeformed bamboo strip. In addition, the utilization of FAGC could also reduce the moisture absorption by the bamboo strip. Thus, these results showed that using bamboo strips in FAGC is feasible, contributing to a promising approach for full utilization of bamboo and industrial waste products such as fly ash as construction materials. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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13 pages, 4760 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Immobilisation of Heavy Metals from Sewage Sludge Ash in CO₂-Cured Mortars

by Erick Grünhäuser Soares, João Castro-Gomes, Mateusz Sitarz, Tomasz Zdeb and Izabela Hager

Sustainability 2021, 13(22), 12893; https://doi.org/10.3390/su132212893 - 22 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2175

Abstract

Sewage treatment processes are a serious environmental threat due to the difficulties involved in its waste management and disposal. Therefore, one developing trend in sewage sludge processing is its thermal treatment, which generates sewage sludge ash that may contain many environmental pollutants, such as heavy metals. Moreover, due to the European Union requirements that not only focus on the waste generation reduction but also on its reuse and final disposal, it is essential to pursue new applications of such resources, such as the waste-based material incorporation into alternative cementitious materials. Thus, this study evaluated the heavy metals leachability of CO₂-cured mortars incorporating sewage sludge ash as filler. For this purpose, Portland cement, reactive magnesia, and electric arc furnace slag were used to produce three different CO₂-cured mortars, which were cured though pressurised accelerated carbonation curing for 24h. These mortars presented up to 12.7 MPa as compressive strength and their carbonation was confirmed by TG-DTG and FT-IR analyses. Their leachability of heavy metals met the European requirements for all waste materials, including inert materials, and post-industrial wastewater. Therefore, the immobilisation of heavy metals in this binding technology may be considered an effective method to safely manage sewage sludge ash. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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Review

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56 pages, 2083 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Sustainability Characteristics Development for Wooden Furniture Design

by Mohd Effendi Muhammad Suandi, Mohammad Harith Amlus, Abdul Rahman Hemdi, Shayfull Zamree Abd Rahim, Mohd Fathullah Ghazali and Nur Liza Rahim

Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8748; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148748 - 18 Jul 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 6968

Abstract

The design of furniture products is influenced by increasing consumer interest in green products and sustainability values. However, although the demand for sustainable furniture products is high, the standardization of sustainability characteristics in furniture design has still not been achieved. A thorough literature review was conducted, which considered various sustainability characteristics that apply in industries that design furniture. This review paper aimed to identify common sustainability characteristics so that a new standard for furniture industries can be established. In this review, numerous themes were explored relating to design guidelines, design criteria, design preferences, design optimization, design evaluation and assessment, design decision making, strategic planning, design strategies, the integration of eco-design, and eco-design tools. A total of 137 articles were reviewed regarding their sustainability characteristics according to the triple bottom-line framework for a relevant product sector. Due to the limited reports on the sustainability characteristics of furniture design activities, this paper also tried to include common sustainability characteristics of non-furniture products that are available on the market. Through the review, 10 sustainability characteristics were identified for the environment, 17 for the economy, and 16 for the social dimension as being common among manufacturers when designing their products. A further in-depth analysis was conducted by mapping the characteristics to those that were significantly implemented in the design process, of which five (5) were environmental, two (2) were economic, and five (5) were social sustainability characteristics. This review is significant in helping furniture designers to use appropriate and effective sustainability standards in the design and manufacture of products that meet customers’ demands. Previous literature reviews have not clearly measured the triple bottom line. Furthermore, no definite characteristics were proposed in previous works regarding wooden furniture design, leaving a gap to be closed by future works. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Management in Materials Science and Engineering for Sustainability)

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