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Buildings
Special Issues
Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials
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Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Materials, and Repair & Renovation".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 January 2026 | Viewed by 2743

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Linmei Wu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
Interests: civil engineering materials; concrete shrinkage; BIM design; intelligent construction methods

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The demand for sustainable and resilient infrastructure is driving innovation in high-performance cementitious materials. This Special Issue of Buildings aims to showcase the latest advances in the design, characterization, and application of cement-based composites that simultaneously meet high mechanical performance, long-term durability, and environmental sustainability requirements.

A key challenge in modern concrete technologies, especially for ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) and fiber-reinforced systems, lies in mitigating autogenous and drying shrinkage while ensuring structural integrity over time. Moreover, increasing attention is being paid to the size effect—how the structural scale influences mechanical behavior, cracking patterns, durability performance, and fracture resistance, particularly in advanced material systems.

This Special Issue welcomes interdisciplinary contributions that explore the following topics:

  • Innovative mix designs incorporating supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) and industrial by-products;
  • Experimental and numerical investigations of size-dependent behavior;
  • Fiber reinforcement mechanisms for shrinkage and crack control;
  • Multi-scale modeling of material–process–structure relationships;
  • Long-term durability under aggressive environments;
  • Life-cycle environmental assessments of green and low-carbon concrete systems.

By bringing together perspectives from materials science, structural engineering, durability science, and environmental sustainability, this Issue aims to accelerate the development of next-generation building materials and structural systems that address the challenges of modern construction.

Dr. Linmei Wu
Guest Editor

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

  • low-shrinkage cementitious composites
  • ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC)
  • size effect in concrete and composites
  • fiber-reinforced cementitious materials
  • durability and service life prediction
  • crack propagation and fracture resistance
  • green building materials
  • supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs)
  • recycled and industrial waste utilization
  • life-cycle assessment (LCA)
  • sustainability in structural engineering
  • material-structure-performance integration

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

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  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

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

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 4348 KB  
Article
Numerical and Experimental Investigation on Time-Dependent Crack Extension in Concrete Under Sustained Loads
by Zheng Yao, Jiacheng Dong, Linmei Wu, Zetong Li, Ziheng Chang, Zhuohui Yu and Binze Jiang
Buildings 2025, 15(22), 4180; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15224180 - 19 Nov 2025
Viewed by 306
Abstract
For concrete structures dominated by fracture failure, e.g., containment and gravity dams, sustained load deformations primarily arise from crack extension and concrete viscoelasticity. As cracks progressively grow under sustained loads, accurate prediction of the time-dependent fracture process in concrete accounting for crack-viscoelasticity interactions [...] Read more.
For concrete structures dominated by fracture failure, e.g., containment and gravity dams, sustained load deformations primarily arise from crack extension and concrete viscoelasticity. As cracks progressively grow under sustained loads, accurate prediction of the time-dependent fracture process in concrete accounting for crack-viscoelasticity interactions are crucial for the stability and safe design of concrete structures. This paper presents an initial fracture toughness (KICini)-based numerical model to predict the time-dependent crack extension in concrete under sustained loads. The model integrates a time-dependent tension-softening constitutive relation, the generalized Kelvin chain model for viscoelastic behavior and KICini-based criterion for crack extension. The accuracy of the model was verified with two sets of experimental data available in the literature. The results indicated that the tension-softening constitutive law that quantifies the relation cohesive stress (sw), loading time (t), and COD can be successfully implemented in the numerical model. The predicted CMOD versus time and crack length versus time curves show good agreements with the test results regardless of loading level, specimen configuration and material property, demonstrating the predictive capability of the model in describing the crack extension in concrete exposed to sustained loads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials)
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18 pages, 7738 KB  
Article
Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Concrete with Polypropylene and Steel Fibers in 3D Reinforcement Frameworks
by Glykeria Porfyriadou, Dimitrios Moschovas, Dimitrios Exarchos, Panagiotis Papageorgiou, Konstantinos G. Kolovos, Theodore E. Matikas and Nikolaos E. Zafeiropoulos
Buildings 2025, 15(22), 4028; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15224028 - 8 Nov 2025
Viewed by 641
Abstract
This study investigates an alternative methodology for incorporating polymeric and steel fibers into concrete. Conventional reinforcement approaches often require complex application techniques and face industrial limitations. In contrast, the present work evaluates the use of short, discontinuous fibers—commercial polypropylene fibers (PFRC), polypropylene fiber [...] Read more.
This study investigates an alternative methodology for incorporating polymeric and steel fibers into concrete. Conventional reinforcement approaches often require complex application techniques and face industrial limitations. In contrast, the present work evaluates the use of short, discontinuous fibers—commercial polypropylene fibers (PFRC), polypropylene fiber braid (PFBRC) and steel fibers (SFRC)—which enable improved dispersion, ease of mixing and potential mechanical benefits. The fibers were randomly oriented and evenly distributed within the cementitious matrix. Mechanical performance was assessed through four-point bending tests combined with displacement measurements, acoustic emission analysis and uniaxial compression tests, while scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed fiber–matrix interaction and fragment retention. The results demonstrated significant improvements, with compressive strength exceeding that of unreinforced concrete, while hybrid fiber systems provided enhanced crack resistance and post-cracking stability. Overall, the findings highlight that the integration of discontinuous fibers may provide tangible mechanical advantages, potentially outweighing the structural benefits of continuous reinforcing bars in applications requiring high strength and reliable mechanical performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials)
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17 pages, 8973 KB  
Article
Experimental Research on Mechanical Behaviour of Precast Concrete Shear Walls with Horizontal Joint Quality Defects
by Mingjin Chu, Zhiqiang Zhang, Jiliang Liu, Shengtao Wu and Chao Dong
Buildings 2025, 15(21), 3951; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15213951 - 2 Nov 2025
Viewed by 382
Abstract
In precast concrete shear wall structures, the joints formed during the vertical connection of precast units are referred to as the “horizontal joint”. Serving as vertical connection nodes in this structure system, the construction quality of theses horizontal joints significantly influences the structural [...] Read more.
In precast concrete shear wall structures, the joints formed during the vertical connection of precast units are referred to as the “horizontal joint”. Serving as vertical connection nodes in this structure system, the construction quality of theses horizontal joints significantly influences the structural integrity. To investigate the influence of horizontal joint quality defects on the mechanical behaviour of precast concrete shear walls, three precast concrete shear wall specimens with quality defects in different regions and three control specimens were designed. Quasi-static tests under a constant axial load were conducted to investigate the effects of defect area, location and other factors on the mechanical behaviour of the walls. Results demonstrate that the quality defects in horizontal joints significantly affect the mechanical behaviour of precast concrete shear walls. When the ratio of the quality defect area to the cross-sectional area of the boundary member reaches 100%, the yield load and peak load of the precast concrete shear wall decrease by 13% and 20%, respectively. Additionally, the structural stiffness exhibited a 13% degradation at a drift angle of 1/1000. Although the failure mode remains largely unchanged, yielding of longitudinal reinforcement in the boundary members is observed. Moreover, as the proportion of the quality defect area to the cross-sectional area decreases, its adverse effects on the mechanical behaviour of the precast concrete shear wall gradually diminish. The established numerical analysis model is shown to be reasonable and reliable. When the defective area of the horizontal joints is less than 25% of the total cross-sectional area, the quality defects essentially have no influence on the mechanical behaviour of the precast concrete shear walls. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials)
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19 pages, 3765 KB  
Article
Thermal Effects on Main Girders During Construction of Composite Cable-Stayed Bridges Based on Monitoring Data
by Hua Luo, Wan Wu, Qincong She, Bin Li, Chen Yang and Yahua Pan
Buildings 2025, 15(17), 2990; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15172990 - 22 Aug 2025
Viewed by 774
Abstract
Thermal effects critically influence the design and construction of steel-concrete composite cable-stayed bridges, where material thermal mismatch complicates structural responses. Current code-specified temperature gradient models inadequately address long-span bridges. This study employs in-situ monitoring of the Chibi Yangtze River Bridge to propose a [...] Read more.
Thermal effects critically influence the design and construction of steel-concrete composite cable-stayed bridges, where material thermal mismatch complicates structural responses. Current code-specified temperature gradient models inadequately address long-span bridges. This study employs in-situ monitoring of the Chibi Yangtze River Bridge to propose a refined vertical temperature gradient model, utilizing an exponential function for the concrete deck and a linear function for the steel web. Finite element analysis across six construction stages reveals: (1) Under negative temperature gradients, the concrete deck develops tensile stresses (2.439–2.591 MPa), approximately 30% lower than code-predicted values (3.613–3.715 MPa), highlighting risks of longitudinal cracking. (2) At the maximum double-cantilever stage, transverse stress distributions show pronounced shear lag effects, positive shear lag in deck sections connected to crossbeams and negative shear lag in non-connected sections. The proposed model reduces tensile stress conservatism in codes by 30–33%, enhancing prediction accuracy for composite girders. This work provides critical insights for thermal effect management in long-span bridge construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Development and Application of Concrete Materials and Related Building Materials)
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