Advanced Studies in Structural Performance, Durability, and Constractional Improvements of Reinforced Concrete Structures

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Structures".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2026 | Viewed by 1561

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Building Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: structural performance evaluation; collapse assessment of structures; seismic risk analysis; earthquake engineering; fluid viscous dampers; buckling-restrained braces; shape memory alloy; fiber-reinforced polymer; fiber-reinforced concrete; machine learning methods; steel and reinforced concrete structures

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Guest Editor
Department of Building Engineering, Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Gdansk University of Technology, 80-233 Gdansk, Poland
Interests: seismic risk; retrofitting; machine learning; shape memory alloy; soil–structure interaction
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reinforced concrete (RC) remains one of the most widely used construction materials worldwide due to its versatility, strength, and cost-effectiveness. However, growing concerns related to aging infrastructure, environmental degradation, and increasing seismic and climate-related demands necessitate advanced research regarding improvements in the performance and durability of RC structures. This Special Issue aims to highlight recent innovations in the analysis, design, materials, and retrofitting techniques that enhance both the structural integrity and long-term sustainability of RC systems. Key areas of interest include advanced modeling and experimental studies on structural performance under extreme loads, the integration of smart and sustainable materials, novel construction methods, and the development of performance-based design strategies. In addition, we welcome the submission of articles that focus on the application of fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC), high-performance concrete (HPC), corrosion-resistant systems, alkali-activated HPC and UHPC, and life-cycle assessment (LCA).

By placing enhanced emphasis on resilient and sustainable infrastructure, this Special Issue provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to share innovative findings and practical solutions that address both current challenges and future needs.

Dr. Neda Asgarkhani
Dr. Farzin Kazemi
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-blind 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.

Keywords

  • reinforced concrete (RC) structures
  • structural performance
  • structural durability
  • constructional improvements
  • seismic performance
  • structural health monitoring
  • material degradation
  • concrete technology
  • high-performance concrete (HPC)
  • fiber-reinforced concrete (FRC)
  • corrosion resistance
  • service life prediction
  • retrofitting techniques
  • nonlinear analysis
  • structural rehabilitation
  • crack propagation
  • load-bearing capacity
  • sustainable construction materials
  • experimental testing
  • finite element modeling (FEM)
  • life-cycle assessment (LCA)
  • structural optimization
  • advanced cementitious materials
  • damage assessment
  • smart materials in RC
  • machine learning methods
  • data-driven methods
  • artificial neural networks
  • data-based predictive models

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 3572 KB  
Article
Numerical Prediction for Reinforced Concrete Beams Subjected to Monotonic Fatigue Loading Using Various Concrete Damage Models
by Nagwa Ibrahim, Said Elkholy and Ahmed Godat
Buildings 2026, 16(1), 175; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16010175 - 30 Dec 2025
Viewed by 305
Abstract
In the literature, fatigue-loaded reinforced concrete (RC) beams have been the subject of several experimental investigations; however, few numerical studies have specifically examined this behavior. The primary goal of this study is to create and validate a comprehensive nonlinear finite element (FE) modeling [...] Read more.
In the literature, fatigue-loaded reinforced concrete (RC) beams have been the subject of several experimental investigations; however, few numerical studies have specifically examined this behavior. The primary goal of this study is to create and validate a comprehensive nonlinear finite element (FE) modeling framework that combines an existing concrete damage model with specialized modelling techniques (e.g., material modelling, structural modelling, mesh configuration) to forecast the behaviour of reinforced concrete beams under monotonic fatigue loads and track the failure progress. This was accomplished by implementing suitable constitutive and structural models pertaining to concrete and reinforcing steel using VecTor2 finite element software. The Lü concrete damage model, which accounts for the accumulated damage in the concrete at each loading cycle, was taken from the literature to enhance the numerical findings. A number of published experimental tests conducted under monotonic fatigue loading were used to assess the accuracy of the suggested numerical model. The obtained numerical results demonstrated that the FE model may be used to simulate the monotonic fatigue behaviour of various RC beam types. The monotonic fatigue results were significantly improved by applying the Lü concrete damage model. Additionally, the FE model was implemented into practice to offer valuable information on failure mechanisms, fracture patterns, and strain profiles at different loading cycles. Full article
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12 pages, 2832 KB  
Article
Study of Mechanical and Fracture Properties of Concrete with Different Lengths of Polypropylene Fibers
by Kristýna Hrabová, Jaromír Láník and Petr Lehner
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 3041; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15173041 - 26 Aug 2025
Viewed by 993
Abstract
This study investigates the effect of polypropylene fibers of different lengths (54 mm, 38 mm, 19 mm) on the mechanical and fracture properties of high-strength concrete. Unlike most existing research focusing on a single fiber length, this work evaluates a fixed hybrid ratio [...] Read more.
This study investigates the effect of polypropylene fibers of different lengths (54 mm, 38 mm, 19 mm) on the mechanical and fracture properties of high-strength concrete. Unlike most existing research focusing on a single fiber length, this work evaluates a fixed hybrid ratio of 4:1:1, thereby addressing the synergistic action of macro- and microfibers. Three dosages were tested and compared to a reference mixture without fibers. Validation was performed by repeated testing of multiple specimens and statistical evaluation of mean values and standard deviations. The results showed that the optimal hybrid mixture (2.0/0.5/0.5 kg/m3) increased compressive strength by 28.7% and splitting tensile strength by 30.1% relative to the reference. Fracture toughness and specific fracture energy also improved significantly, demonstrating enhanced crack resistance and energy absorption. The main contribution of this work is to provide experimental evidence that a hybrid combination of polypropylene fibers at a fixed ratio can improve both mechanical strength and fracture resistance, with direct implications for durability and service life. Full article
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