Digitalization and AI in Materials Engineering for Smart Construction

Dear Colleagues,

The construction industry is undergoing a transformative shift driven by digitalization and artificial intelligence (AI), enabling smarter, more sustainable, and resource-efficient construction practices. As the sector faces increasing pressure to reduce carbon emissions, minimize waste, and optimize the use of non-renewable resources, AI-powered materials engineering and digital technologies are emerging as key enablers of sustainable development. The integration of AI, Building Information Modeling (BIM), digital twins, machine learning, Internet of Things (IoT), and data-driven systems is revolutionizing the design, characterization, optimization, and lifecycle management of innovative construction materials and infrastructure.

This Special Issue, “Digitalization and AI in Materials Engineering for Smart Construction,” seeks to explore recent advances in intelligent and sustainable construction technologies. We invite original, high-quality research articles addressing innovative building materials, smart sensing systems, predictive modelling of material performance, automated construction processes, and AI-assisted monitoring and decision-making tools. Contributions focusing on intelligent material characterization, lifecycle assessment, circular economy strategies, structural and environmental behaviour of materials, and digital solutions for energy-efficient and resilient buildings are particularly encouraged.

The Special Issue also welcomes interdisciplinary studies that combine experimental investigations with computational and AI-driven approaches to improve construction efficiency, sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. Through this Special Issue, we aim to promote cutting-edge research that supports low-carbon construction, resource conservation, and the development of intelligent built environments for future smart cities. 

Dr. Roy and Dr. Ananthi warmly encourage researchers, scientists, and industry professionals to contribute cutting-edge experimental, computational, and theoretical studies that advance the future of sustainable and smart construction. This Special Issue seeks to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and promote innovative solutions that support low-carbon, resource-efficient, and digitally enabled built environments.

The key themes of this Special Issue include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Artificial Intelligence in Construction Materials Engineering
• Machine Learning for Sustainable Building Materials
• Digital Twin Technology for Smart Construction
• Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Smart Materials Integration
• AI-Assisted Material Characterization and Testing
• Smart and Self-Sensing Construction Materials
• Data-Driven Sustainable Construction Systems
• Digital Fabrication and Additive Manufacturing in Construction
• AI for Circular Economy and Waste Valorization
• Internet of Things (IoT) in Smart Buildings and Infrastructure
• Lifecycle Assessment and Carbon Footprint Prediction Using AI
• Generative AI for Materials Design and Construction Optimization
• Smart Energy-Efficient Building Technologies
• Automation and Robotics in Sustainable Construction
• Computational Modelling and Simulation of Construction Materials
• Digital Monitoring and Structural Health Assessment
• Resilient and Climate-Adaptive Construction Materials
• Blockchain and Digital Traceability in Construction Materials Supply Chains
• Human–AI Collaboration in Smart Construction Management
• Policy, Standards, and Ethical Challenges in AI-Driven Construction

And paper types suitable for this Special Issue include:

• Methodological papers;
• Conceptual papers;
• Case studies;
• Systematic literature reviews.

Dr. Krishanu Roy
Dr. G. Beulah Gnana Ananthi
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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings 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 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.

• digitalization in construction
• artificial intelligence (AI)
• smart construction materials
• sustainable building materials
• materials engineering
• building information modelling (BIM)
• digital twin technology
• machine learning in construction
• smart buildings
• sustainable construction technologies